


Unspoken Agreements

by LilianNightstar



Category: BNA: Brand New Animal (Anime)
Genre: Angst, Blood and Injury, Developing Relationship, F/M, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Nightmares, Nudity, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, References to Drugs, Trauma
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-13
Updated: 2021-02-22
Packaged: 2021-03-09 18:06:52
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 7
Words: 73,554
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27520474
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LilianNightstar/pseuds/LilianNightstar
Summary: In an eventful, stormy night, Shirou comes to Michiru's aid during one of her nightmares, only for the duo to find themselves increasingly addicted to each other's presence. Now there's no going back. A new danger is looming, while strange feelings start blooming... and it all started with a damn unspoken agreement.
Relationships: Kagemori Michiru & Ogami Shirou, Kagemori Michiru/Ogami Shirou
Comments: 106
Kudos: 234





	1. A Tanuki Cries Tonight

**Author's Note:**

> This story is set five years after Alan's defeat.  
> It's going to include scenes with detailed descriptions of violence and injury, especially in future chapters. You've been warned.  
> 

There were no stars visible that night in Anima City. The sky had been obscured by a horde of heavy clouds, with brief flashes of lightning announcing an incoming storm. Distant thunderous rumbles only served to seal the promise of rain. By now most citizens had retired to their beds, leaving only the streetlights to illuminate the city in the dead of the night.

It was usually at this time crime flourished, and, in the past week or so, gang violence and drug trafficking had been keeping the police busier than normal. So much, in fact, they had to request the help of a certain immortal wolf.

The very sight of Shirou was enough to make the thugs at the pier scatter all over the place like measly cockroaches, as if that would save them from his wrath. The bigger ones, a group of large bulls armed with machine guns, stayed behind to confront the wolfman themselves. Foolish mistake. In a matter of minutes, Shirou had beaten all of them to a pulp and destroyed whatever remained of their dignity by shattering their horns. It was his signature move, one that struck raw fear deep within every beastman’s core instincts.

The cops managed to capture most of the running cowards by blocking the streets with their cars, while Shirou took care of a few others. In no time, the pier was illuminated by red and blue lights as cops invaded the place. The familiar face of a dark grey dog soon came out of a car and approached Shirou, who stood next to a pile of broken firearms. Detective Yuji quickly took notice of the blood covering the wolfman’s fists, then looked down at an unconscious ram sprawled on the concrete floor. His horns were broken at the base, and his muzzle was a twisted, bloody mess. The old investigator couldn’t help but wince at the sight.

“Rough night, huh?” He sighed, removing his hat to wipe his forehead. “This was the third cargo this week, they are getting bolder.”

Shirou scowled. “This new drug has spiked quite the market, if they are willing to risk so many resources and men to ship it.” He looked down at his clawed hands, observing how bloody the white fur had become. Usually, Shirou had no trouble controlling his strength to defeat thugs without lethal force, but the recent night long missions had rendered him exhausted and sloppy. Even an immortal being like himself had limits, and Shirou knew very well he was pushing them. That ram on the floor would have died if his mind didn’t recall the words of a certain tanuki.

_“Promise me you won’t kill anymore.”_

_“… why?”_

_“Promise me!” She clung to his arm with a pleading look. “Please, Shirou… how can you call yourself a protector when you don’t think twice about killing?”_

_Shirou stared down at those determined, unblinking teal eyes for what felt like an eternity. Until, finally, he let out a defeated growl._

_“Fine. I won’t kill.” The tanuki already had a wide, excited smile on her lips. The kind that could melt the coldest of hearts. “… unnecessarily.”_

_Michiru nodded. “Yes. Unnecessarily…” For a moment she looked uncertain, as if silently debating her next move. Before he could ask, though, he felt the girl rise on her tiptoes and place a brief, but firm kiss on his cheek._

_Shirou could only stay frozen in place as he watched his youthful housemate prance down the hall, giggling. His hand instinctively rose to touch the wet spot on his cheek._

_What just happened??_

“… Ogami? Ogami??”

Shirou was snapped back to reality by a hand waving in front of his face. Startled, he instinctively grabbed the offending arm and stilled it in a strong grip, until he spotted a concerned Yuji attached to it. Police cars still flashed their colors in the background, and the broken static of the cops’ radio filled the ambience.

That’s right. He was still at the pier.

“Sorry.” Shirou released the detective’s arm and stepped back, still stunned by the brief memory. Yuji simply shook his head with a warm gaze.

“You look tired, Ogami. Go home, get some rest.” Yuji gestured to the busy cops walking all over the pier. “We can take care of the rest.”

“Are you sure?” Shirou’s voice was hesitant, but part of him did agree with the dog’s words. He was _exhausted_ and hadn’t had a decent night of sleep in over a week. Yuji could see that on his baggy, tired green eyes.

“Yes. It’s what, three in the morning now?” He checked his wristwatch and scowled at the numbers. “We all need some damn sleep, specially you. Now go.”

Shirou sighed and gave the detective a single, respectful nod. Given the gloomy weather, it was best to head home now, anyway, before the rain came. The last thing he needed was to enter the Co-op smelling like wet dog. The booming thunder echoing in the distance only served to emphasize his decision.

With that, Shirou turned around and strode away, allowing himself to be swallowed by the shadows of the night.

* * *

As expected, everyone in the building had already gone to bed, leaving the windows completely dark. It was an eerie sight, given the Co-op was usually so vibrant and full of life during the day. Yet, this was a sight Shirou had grown used to in all his years living there. Late missions like tonight’s weren’t uncommon.

The wolfman felt the first raindrops hitting his fur and coat by the time he reached the door. The pungent scent of wet earth and grass was already suffocating the air around him, but thankfully that wasn’t an unpleasant smell. If anything, it helped Shirou relax and oftentimes lulled him to sleep. After quietly unlocking the door and walking to his study room, he could already feel the effects of the rain’s spell. The couch never looked so… inviting.

A booming thunder suddenly made Shirou jump and curse under his breath. It shook the building and flickered the lights in the study. Shirou twitched his canine ears to hear the pitter-patter of rain outside growing faster and stronger at alarming rates.

_So much for sleeping to the relaxing sound of rain._

Shirou removed his trench coat and black sweater, sighing in relief when his fur was freed from its confines. He then walked to the small bathroom in his study to wash the blood off his fists. More thunders echoed outside, until all the lights went out with a crackle. Shirou gave the bathroom lamp an annoyed glare, but considering he was about to head to bed, it wouldn’t be a big deal. Had that happened in the middle of a report to the mayor, it would have ruined his mood until next morning.

He was in the middle of unbuttoning his pants when his canine ears caught a new sound in the air. Shirou froze in place. This was no thunder, but a shriek of pure terror and aguish. It came from upstairs and made his hackles stand on end.

_Michiru’s bedroom._

Without hesitation, Shirou threw his door open and ran up the stairs as fast as he could. The screams continued, reminding him too much of the cries from those who witnessed death itself. They were blood curdling, specially coming from such a familiar voice. At the sight of Michiru’s door, Shirou felt a suffocating urgency digging its talons into his chest. Memories of countless bloodied battlefields throughout his lifetime made him scared to see what awaited him inside.

“Michiru!”

The door was slammed open, and a flash of lightning lit up the entire room for a split second. The bed was a mess. Its sheets had been yanked and dragged all over the place, and the pillows were carelessly thrown across the floor. Laying on the almost naked mattress was Michiru, her eyes squeezed shut and her fur damp with sweat. Her claws gripped tightly on the sheets as she thrashed from side to side, whimpering and crying uncontrollably. Shirou’s pale green eyes immediately widened in recognition at the sight.

_Night terrors._

Before he knew it, Shirou was already on the bed and had Michiru’s hands in a tight grip. Red smudges on the bedsheets caught his attention, as did the scent of fresh blood in the air. This wasn’t good.

“Michiru.” He grunted, pinning her hands on either side of her head. The tanuki’s once friendly features were twisted into a visage of nothing but anguish, which Shirou found heart wrenching to witness. He wondered what kind of horrific nightmare she must be stuck in to cause such distress. “Michiru, listen to me. This isn’t real. You need to wake up.”

His voice was stern, but still carried a tone of genuine concern. Michiru continued to struggle violently in his grip, almost headbutting Shirou several times. It was easy to forget how strong that tanuki really was. Shirou even had to trap her legs in his to stop her thrashing.

Another thunder suddenly shook the building, drawing a new scream from the panicked girl. Gritting his teeth, Shirou leaned closer to her ears and spoke in a much gentler, soothing voice. “Michiru, listen to me... come to my voice. Whatever you’re seeing isn’t real, you’re safe.”

He kept talking to Michiru, repeating his words as if reciting a mantra. Over time, her struggles seemed to grow weaker and less frantic, which allowed Shirou to relax his grip on the girl and pay closer attention to her arms. There were multiple red scratches visible among her fur, and, judging from the blood covering her claws, it was clear where those red stains on the bedsheets had come from. In his lengthy lifetime, Shirou had grown beyond familiar with such night terrors, most of which resulted in some sort of injury during his sleep. He made a mental note to patch Michiru up once this was over with.

By now, Michiru’s cries were reduced to whimpers and heavy sobs. She shook her face from side to side, still trying to escape from the nightmare’s last hideous talons as her body trembled with effort. Unsurprisingly, Shirou let out a big breath of relief once Michiru’s teal eyes finally blinked open.

“S-Shirou?”

Her voice was hoarse from crying and screaming, which made Shirou’s protective instincts skyrocket. Michiru just sounded so fragile, so… _broken_. It was downright unnerving to see his companion in such a state. Before Shirou could say anything, though, she threw herself in his arms and buried her face into his chest fur, bawling inconsolably.

“I s-saw you d-die, over and o-over again. It was all my f-fault!” She wailed between sobs. “T-There was so much blood...”

“I’m fine, Michiru.” Was his answer, as always. It had no effect on Michiru, though, who shook her head and cried even harder into his fur.

“I h-heard your b-bones cracking. Your limbs were t-tearing apart. Your b-blood… oh god, your blood was _all over me_!” A loud sob shook her frame and interrupted her rambles. It didn’t seem like she was listening to him at all, but that didn’t faze Shirou. If anything, this was typical of night terrors. They usually rendered their victims so inconsolable, so drowned in despair, there was nothing to be done besides holding them until the tears hopefully stopped.

A faint shuffle coming from the doorway made Shirou’s ears twitch. He turned his head and found Gem and Melissa standing by the door, their eyes wide with concern. Shirou mouthed the word “nightmare” to the couple. A look of understanding immediately swept over their features, along with a glint of sadness in their eyes.

“Poor thing.” Melissa whispered. “Is there anything we can help with?”

Shirou sighed and shook his head, which startled Michiru for a moment. He instinctively reacted by hugging her closer to his chest. “I’ll stay here until she sleeps again.” He whispered as low as possible. “You two can go to bed.”

Gem and Melissa exchanged uncertain looks at first, but this was Shirou. He always knew what he was doing, and they knew very well he was a trustworthy person. The Horners took one last glance at Michiru before mumbling a quiet “alright”, then closed the door as they left the room.

Besides Michiru’s whimpers and the storm raging outside, the bedroom was completely silent. Now and then, more bolts of lightning would flash through the windows, but the thunders that followed sounded much farther away. That was a relief for Shirou, considering his friend’s visceral reactions to the loud noises. Still, the pitter-patter of rain and mind-numbing silence easily made him lose track of time. He couldn’t tell whether he had been holding Michiru for ten minutes or an hour. It didn’t help that, now that his adrenaline rush was gone, Shirou could feel his original exhaustion making its presence known again.

All he knew was that, after a while, Michiru’s breath slowed down to a calm, steady pace. Although her visage was still twisted into a pained frown, she seemed to have finally dozed off. Shirou exhaled through his nostrils, feeling his eyelids weight down tiredly, and shifted Michiru in his arms to gently place her back on the bed.

To his dismay, she refused to let go.

Michiru scrunched up her eyebrows and whimpered, clutching harder on Shirou’s chest fur to the point of making him hiss in pain. He tried to push her away several times, but it only resulted in louder whimpers. That girl was as stubborn in her sleep as she was awake.

With the drowsiness of exhaustion clouding his mind, Shirou simply gave up and laid down on the mattress with the girl still firmly attached to him. Only one pillow remained on the bed, so he let Michiru rest her head on his fluffy chest for the night. It’s not like she’d let him move her into any other position, anyway.

Oddly enough, however, there was something incredibly soothing about having Michiru’s body pressed to his, especially as she rubbed her face further into his fur in search of warmth. The sensation was rather… cozy, to say the least. Without realizing, Shirou pressed his chin on top of the girl’s head and breathed in her scent, which helped his body relax fully.

One last gaze at the droplets running down the windows sealed the rain’s sleep spell.

* * *

“Should we wake them up?”

The first thing Gem and Melissa did after readying themselves for the day was checking on Michiru. They gave the door a very light knock, then listened for any noise coming from inside. When there was none, Gem gently twisted the doorknob and moved it just far enough for two heads to peek inside.

The sight that greeted them was unexpected. Laying on the messy bed was Shirou still in his wolf form, with Michiru looking very comfortable in his embrace. Both looked incredibly peaceful under the light of the morning sun. It was a big contrast to the harrowing scene they had witnessed last night, but certainly a welcome one.

“No.” Melissa couldn’t help but smile fondly at the scene. “Leave them be. They had a really rough night.” She turned to her rooster husband and playfully tapped on his beak. “This means no crowing today, sweetie.”

Gem would have pouted if he didn’t have an avian beak now, but he still nodded. They quietly closed the door and made their way downstairs.

The sun continued its climb in the sky for a few more hours before Michiru started stirring from the depths of a dreamless sleep. She furrowed her eyebrows and mumbled something ineligible, probably a complaint about the sunlight hitting her face. As Michiru slowly recovered consciousness, she realized she was resting on something very soft and warm. Moving her fingers on it felt like touching a fluffy coat.

Her ears perked up at the sound of a grunt, leading her to tentatively open her eyes. The sunlight quickly made Michiru regret that, though. It not only blinded her drowsy eyes, but also stirred a ringing headache from deep within her skull. Michiru hissed in response and tried to hide her face away.

“Finally, you’re awake.”

Shirou’s unmistakable voice sounded so close, she could swear she felt his breath on her hair. Michiru rubbed her eyes and tried blinking them open again, slowly making sense of the myriad of blurry shapes dancing on her retinas. It didn’t take long to piece together the sight of a very ruffled, disgruntled wolf.

“…Shirou?” She half asked, half yawned. Her head felt strangely heavy and every move made that dreadful headache prick at her brain. Michiru whimpered, confused and dizzy. “My head… it feels like it’s gonna burst.”

Suddenly, a rush of disjointed memories invaded Michiru’s mind like a hurricane. Nightmare fragments entwined with images of herself screaming and clawing at nothing. It was overwhelming, especially as she recalled feelings of despair, anguish and sorrow. The fur on Michiru’s back and tail stood on end, while her teal eyes stared unfocused as if on a trance.

Until that familiar voice snapped her out of it.

“Michiru.”

A warm palm touched the girl’s shoulder, making her flinch. Michiru instinctively reached up and grabbed it, probably an attempt to ground herself in a mess of reality and fantasy. After taking a deep breath, she turned to look pointedly at the owner of the hand and blinked.

_Wait a minute._

Michiru’s eyes widened. Suddenly, the reality of the situation finally pieced together in her mind, only to hit her on the face like a brick. The fluffy thing she had been laying on wasn’t her bed… _it was Shirou._

A very grumpy looking, _shirtless_ Shirou.

Michiru squeaked and jerked up so fast, she immediately went dizzy and lost balance. Thankfully, Shirou was quick to grab her back and keep her from flopping back on the mattress. “Careful.” He grumbled. “Last night took a toll on you.”

_Last night?_

A furious blush crawled under Michiru’s cheek fur in response to his choice of words. After steadying herself, she looked around her room before settling her gaze on the wolfman by her side. He was kneeling on the bed now, looking at a phone he had pulled from his pants’ pocket. Michiru could swear there was a hint of pink on his face too, but it was hard to see under all that fur.

“Um, Shirou?” She started in a meek voice. “What exactly happened last night?”

There was a light sigh in the air, and Shirou paused whatever he was doing on his phone to look at the tanuki. “How much do you remember?”

“I’m not really sure, it’s all very confusing” Michiru scrunched up her eyebrows in thought. “But I remember being really scared and… hearing your voice.”

Shirou had that characteristic, unreadable expression on his face again, but Michiru noticed a somberness to it this time. “You had a nightmare.” His voice was stern as he gently grabbed one of Michiru’s hands and pulled her arm to his direction. Only then Michiru noticed the angry red cuts covering its length. The dried blood parting her fur made her eyes widen. “You were screaming and clawing at yourself. I had to hold you until you calmed down.”

As soon as Shirou released her hand, Michiru pulled it back and stared at both her arms in disbelief. Now that she was paying attention, there was a light burning sensation coming from the cuts every time she moved. Michiru’s ears drooped as she grimaced. “I-I see…”

The wolfman narrowed his pale green eyes for a moment. That wasn’t shock in her voice, it was _disappointment_. In fact, there was even a hint of shame in the way her shoulders slumped down. The investigator in him immediately caught on the clues.

“This isn’t your first time.” It wasn’t a question. His voice sounded sterner than normal, maybe even accusatory. It made Michiru cross her arms in a futile attempt to hide the cuts away from his burning gaze.

She knew better than playing dumb to Shirou of all people, though. That wolf could effortlessly see through her lies. “I don’t want to talk about it.”

For what felt like an eternity, Shirou simply stayed in place and stared intensely at the girl. His eyes inspected her every feature with analytical precision, looking for further clues to her secrets. Michiru could only look down at her own hands and wait for the inevitable interrogation he’d throw at her.

“… alright.”

_Or maybe not._

Michiru jerked her head back up and watched as Shirou shuffled towards the edge of the mattress. “That’s all? You won’t question me?”

“No.” Shirou inwardly snorted at the girl’s incredulous tone. “This isn’t my business, and I have more important things to do than prying into your life.” He paused to adjust his pants, realizing he had left it mostly unbuttoned the previous night. Good thing he had his back to Michiru, otherwise she’d have caught the blush spreading across his face.

Michiru wasn’t doing much better, however. She suddenly took notice of how nice Shirou’s back looked. His chiseled shoulders were broad, and she could see hints of the well-built muscles shifting under his pelt with every move. For a moment, she raised her hand and questioned whether she should comb her fingers through that inviting, fluffy coat once more, but then she snapped to her senses and yanked her hand back. _Get a hold of yourself, damnit!_

Unaware of Michiru’s inner conflicts, Shirou stood up and pointed towards her arms. “That, however, _is_ my business.” He continued. “I’m going downstairs to grab the first aid box. You’re enough trouble as is, I don’t need you getting those arms infected too.”

“Hey! They aren’t that bad, just a few scratches.” Michiru huffed. To make a point, she extended her arms and tried to morph them, but that only resulted in a sharp yelp of pain. She tucked them back to her chest immediately.

Shirou couldn’t hold back a tiny smirk. “As I was saying, I will be back shortly with bandages.” He walked towards the bedroom door and placed his hand on the knob, but before he could twist it, Michiru’s voice rung across the room again.

“Wait, Shirou!” She sheepishly cowered a little when he turned to face her, but her eyes shone with nothing but awe. The sight made Shirou feel something very… warm in his chest. “Did you really spend the whole night with me to make sure I’d be ok?”

He opened his mouth, ready to reply with his usual snarky, apathetic attitude. It would be easy to point out he only stayed because Michiru wouldn’t let him go… but the words died on his tongue as soon as they came up.

It was that look of pure adoration on her eyes. It was so full of hope and awe… when was the last time someone looked at him like that? Most scattered in fear under his gaze. His image was menacing, it pushed others away from him with promises of pain and sorrow. There were many instances in Shirou’s lengthy lifetime where his image was the very last thing one saw before death claimed their eyes.

Yet there Michiru was, staring at him like a child looking up at her hero.

Maybe, just this once, he shouldn’t crush her positivity.

“Yes.” His voice was gentler this time. Michiru could swear she saw a smile on his lips as well, but it was gone within a millisecond. “Yes, I did.”

She nodded slowly, offering him a characteristic big grin. “Thank you.”

With that, Shirou left the room and closed the door behind him. A familiar caw ringed in his ears, and soon Kuro perched on the male’s shoulder. “Where were you? Hiding from storms again?” Shirou snorted before morphing to his human form. The little crow ignored him and instead narrowed his eyes, then pecked at a spot on his companion’s neck. Upon inspecting it, Shirou realized there was a tuft of brown fur sticking out of his collar buckle. Shirou couldn’t help but fluster a little.

“Don’t look at me like that.”


	2. Burdens of a Lone Wolf

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I originally planned to wait at least a week to update this. However, I kept feeling like the first chapter felt rather... lacking when it comes to giving the readers a good idea of what this story will entail. It basically seemed more like an oneshot than a chapter to a longer fanfic. I think combining chapter 2 to it would work better to introduce important plot points and the characters' struggles.
> 
> So well, here's an early chapter 2. Don't get used to this, though. My writing schedule is nonexistent, and the only reason I'm doing this is because I already have several chapters ready to go.

Michiru yawned tiredly. It was already past one in the morning and her body was pretty much yelling at her to go to bed, but she couldn’t. Not yet, at least. She was too busy reading a book and taking notes on the side for an assignment due the next day.

As a high school student, Michiru would have considered herself average. Sure, she was a smart girl, but her grades didn’t stand out from the rest in her class. She had always felt more interested in sports than studies and couldn’t picture herself doing anything else.

Still, when the Anima City University was finally inaugurated to the public almost a year ago, she was excited to join. The campus was Barbara’s biggest step in integrating humans in the city, as well as improving resources for beastmen education in general. Michiru already had a job beside Shirou as a social worker in the Co-op, but the idea of having more options and making human friends again was too alluring.

With this, Michiru decided to enroll in Beastman Studies. At first it was tricky to balance the new schedule, with Michiru being a social worker by day and going to the university at night, but she adapted quickly. The course didn’t rely as heavily on in-depth genetics and biology as a bachelor degree, which would have made it harder for Michiru to keep up with, and instead it focused on the basics of beastman biology and history. Even after living in Anima City for years, there were things about Michiru’s new beastly body that she still didn’t quite understand. Learning more about beastmen would certainly help.

Not to mention beastman behavior was still a strange, tricky territory that she often found herself tiptoeing around, especially regarding a certain wolf.

Suddenly, there was a loud, sharp tap on one of the windows. Michiru jumped on her seat with a yelp, her tail puffed up like a scared cat’s. It didn’t help that her room was completely dark except for the little desk lamp lighting her work. It gave the place an eerie atmosphere that kept the tanuki on edge.

Huffing angrily, Michiru strode over to the window and pulled the curtains open. She was ready to yell at whoever stood on the other side, but as soon as she spotted Shirou’s human face, she quickly winded down.

_Speaking of the devil._

A chilly breeze invaded the room when she opened the window, making Michiru shudder and rub her arms. Thankfully, her fur shielded her body from most of the temperature drop. “What did you do that for?!” She growled.

Shirou, who was calmly sipping on a mug of hot tea, raised an eyebrow and ignored the question entirely. “It’s late.” He stated matter-of-factly. “What are you doing up? We have work to do tomorrow.”

“I could say the same to you.” Michiru crossed her arms defiantly. “I’m just finishing an assignment. It shouldn’t take much longer.”

“You should know better than leaving assignments for the last minute.” Shirou snorted with another sip of tea, then walked away from the window without paying any attention to Michiru’s murderous glare.

“H-Hey! I didn’t leave it for the last minute!” She leaned over the windowsill, searching for Shirou, only to find him sitting down just next to it with his back on the wall. Any intentions of continuing their banter quickly vanished into thin air at the sight.

_Something is wrong._

It wasn’t uncommon for Shirou to hang out at the rooftop for a while, especially at night. He liked to take some time to contemplate over the events of the day as well as enjoy a peaceful moment of solitude. Anyone would easily look at him now and assume he was doing exactly that, then leave him alone with his thoughts.

But not Michiru. She knew Shirou too well. His eyes looked more tired and creased than usual, and his shoulders were slumped as if displaying defeat. Something was bothering him, which would explain why he was up on the roof instead of confined to the comfort of his study room.

Frowning, Michiru hopped over the windowsill and sat beside her friend. The cold air bit the skin under her fur at first, but she quickly got used to it. It was a mystery how Shirou didn’t even shiver in his human form. The black sweater didn’t look thick enough to resist the chill of the night.

“What about you, Shirou?” She looked at him with inquisitive eyes. “Why are you still up?”

He didn’t answer right away, opting to continue gazing at the city landscape in front of him. The lack of expression on his features made it hard to tell whether he was deep in thought or not. When Shirou did speak up, however, his voice sounded oddly rocky. “I’m not sleepy.”

 _That was a lie_. Michiru narrowed her eyes and quietly analyzed Shirou’s features as he continued to sip on the tea. The tired visage, empty eyes and stiff movements… it was almost as if he had seen a _ghost_.

_Oh._

“You had a nightmare, didn’t you?”

Shirou’s whole body tensed up immediately, and his hand froze in the air just as he was going to place the empty mug on the floor, all while staring straight at Michiru from the corner of his eye. She couldn’t help but feel intimidated by the intensity of his glare. The usually calm pale green iris was now ice cold, sending a spear through Michiru’s stomach. Its message was clear: _Back off._

But this was Michiru Kagemori. She wouldn’t give in to mere intimidation tactics, especially now that she had just progressed into new territory within Shirou’s psyche. Ignoring his glare, the girl turned her head to stare at the starry night and shuffled into a more comfortable position, debating how to proceed without pushing her companion away.

_Maybe… if she opened up to him first…_

The tanuki bit down on her lip. She knew she could trust him with her fears, but was she ready to share such intimate confessions? Michiru recalled that incident a few days ago, when Shirou spent the night with her to shield her fragilized mind from further nightmares. Just thinking about it brought a warm, fuzzy sensation to her chest…

Michiru smiled. She wouldn’t trust anyone else with her feelings.

“I have nightmares all the time, y’know? Usually from before I arrived at Anima City.” Michiru kept gazing up at the stars as if talking directly to them. Her voice was soft and quiet. “I was stoned, beaten and chased down by all sorts of human gangs, some of them even called themselves _beastman hunters_.”

Shirou, who was still looking at her sideways, softened his expression and showed interest in her words. It didn’t go unnoticed that a shudder ran down Michiru’s spine at the mention of beastmen hunters. She brought her legs up and hugged them to her chest, an instinctive response to fear. His face remained unchanged, but he could feel his protective side sparking to life.

“They hunted me like an animal.” The girl released a shaky breath. “I spent months sleeping only one hour at a time to avoid staying in the same spot for too long, because they were tracking me down. They even used hunting dogs… I still struggle to sleep sometimes, especially when there’s barking and howling outside.”

Her voice trailed off as Michiru awaited a response from the man sitting by her side. Michiru knew, from the corner of her eye, that Shirou was looking pointedly at her now. Those investigative pale green eyes watched her features closely and carefully, as they often did whenever Shirou analyzed the clues of a crime scene. That unnerved Michiru, but she tried not to show it and continued to stare at the night sky.

“Bastards.” The silence was broken by a deep, startling growl. Michiru jumped slightly and looked at Shirou, expecting him to have morphed into his wolf form. To her surprise, he still looked human. “Beastman Hunters are the worst kind of human scum. They take joy in playing with their victims, terrorizing them for days just to enjoy the rush of a hunt.” His eyes darkened with each word, taking on a bloodthirsty glint that Michiru had seen multiple times.

She hated that look.

Michiru was quick to interrupt Shirou’s bubbling anger by turning to face him with her hands up. “It’s ok, though. Look!” She gestured to herself. “I’m fine now. I’m safe and in Anima City, aren’t I?”

Shirou raised a skeptical eyebrow. “If you’re still having nightmares about it, then you’re not really _fine_.” The reply came out harsher than Shirou had intended. It was noticeable in the way she slouched down and looked at an unknown spot on the floor. Sighing, Shirou mentally smacked himself. A gelid wind blowing past them only emphasized the sudden tension in the air.

He could do better than that.

After a short pause, he spoke up again in a somewhat hesitant tone. “I have nightmares about… many things.” The words made Michiru raise her head with a curious look. “When you’ve lived as long as I, there’s no shortage of material to feed the nightmares. I’ve witnessed horrors you can’t begin to comprehend.” He raised a hand to touch his collar, scowling. “It’s part of my burden.”

Another veil of silence slowly draped upon the duo. This time it didn’t feel cold and hostile, but rather… peaceful. For once, the two friends found themselves on equal grounds. Michiru had a thoughtful expression as she calculated her next words. “I know I will never be able to understand what you’ve gone through, Shirou… but I’d like to try, if you’ll let me.”

That earned a surprised look from him. Shirou blinked and watched Michiru carefully, trying to spot a hidden meaning in her words, but there was none. She offered him a tiny smile and continued.

“You shouldn’t have to carry that burden alone, it’s too much even for yourself… this is what friends are for, after all. We split each other’s burdens so it doesn’t crush us.” Michiru raised an arm, showing the healing cuts that parted the brown fur along it. They no longer ached, but the sight alone still made the girl grimace. “Because when they do crush us, the results aren’t pretty.”

Another serene pause settled between the two beastmen. Shirou looked pointedly at his companion’s arm, silently takin note of each cut revealed by the moonlight. He recalled that night a few days ago and how bad her arms looked, then recalled his own state upon waking up from multiple night terrors. It wasn’t uncommon for his chest, arms and neck to be carved up from the compulsive clawing.

The wind around them picked up, this time carrying the earthy scent of incoming rain. Michiru shivered in the rising cold and tried to create some warmth by rubbing her arms. Even though her body was covered by fur, she was wearing her night tank top and shorts, leaving herself too exposed to the elements.

Shirou sighed at the sight and slowly stood up with the empty mug in his grasp, then offered Michiru his free hand. “Come on, we should go back inside.”

The tanuki gave him a thankful nod and took Shirou’s hand. He wasn’t wearing gloves tonight, and the feeling of her friend’s warm skin really contrasted with Michiru’s cold paw pads. The sensation was strange, yet comforting as they carefully climbed into her bedroom through the open window.

Michiru walked to her desk to tidy up her papers and books. At this point, she didn’t have the energy nor focus to continue working on the assignment. It would probably be a better shot to head to university earlier the next day so she could finish it there. After turning off her desk lamp, Michiru’s ears twitched at the sound of her window closing.

“I still think you’re biting more than you can chew with this university thing.” Shirou grumbled, looking pointedly at the books piled on her desk. The comment made Michiru roll her eyes, having already touched this topic with him several times. “You already have a job, isn’t this overwhelming you?”

Michiru huffed and placed a hand on her hip. “Not really. It’s been great! I’ve been meeting new people and learning a lot about beastmen.” She sauntered towards Shirou with a very smug grin. “I thought you’d be happy about not dealing with me at night anymore. Unless…” An accusatory finger was pressed on Shirou’s chest, emphasizing each word. “You actually miss me and don’t want to admit it.”

The man scoffed, grabbed her hand and moved it away from his chest. “I’m more concerned about the fact you’re a trouble magnet, especially when you’re out of my sight.”

“Oh c’mon, it’s not _that_ bad.” There was a pause as Shirou silently raised an eyebrow and crossed his arms. “… alright, not that bad _anymore_. I’ve improved a lot over the years.”

“You did.” He admitted, and for a moment Michiru’s teal eyes lit up with glee. “But you still get yourself in trouble way too often for my liking. I’d rather not risk it.”

Michiru huffed loudly, then heavily plopped herself on the bed. “So what, you will lock me in that musty closet again?”

“I wish.” Shirou couldn’t hold back a little smirk when Michiru glared at him. “But if I do that, Barbara will scold me like a pup until my ears drop off. You’re not worth _that_ much a hassle.”

“ _Hey!_ ” A pillow zipped through the air and would have hit Shirou’s face if it weren’t for his quick reflexes. Michiru had another one on her hands, brandishing it at her companion like a dangerous weapon. It was quite the amusing sight. “If trouble is going to get me one way or another, there’s no point is hiding, anyway. I might as well be doing something productive in the meantime, right?”

Although, deep inside, Shirou agreed with her words, he could feel something else tugging at his chest with its prickly claws. In their multiple discussions on this topic, there was a factor regarding the university that Shirou had yet to disclose to Michiru. Originally, he didn’t want to worry her, but at this point he felt like it would be unfair not to talk about it.

“Michiru.” The lighthearted, amused expression on his face was replaced with something much grimmer. It grabbed Michiru’s attention right away. “By going to university, you’re exposing yourself to a much more dangerous kind of trouble than usual.”

She blinked slowly. “What do you mean?”

“You know what that building represents to the world, right?” When she didn’t answer, Shirou brought a hand up to his forehead and combed his fingers through white hair, sighing deeply. The girl knew Shirou did this whenever he was frustrated or stressed. “The university is a global symbol of integration between humans and beastmen, which means it’s a glowing target for terrorists. There _is_ a reason the mayor invested in building a new police station right beside it.”

“W-What?”

“There have been rumors in the streets.” Shirou’s visage grew sterner with each word. “About beastmen forming an anti-human organization to fight the integration of humans in Anima City. It’s only a matter of time for them to attack that university, and I don’t want you caught in the middle of the fire.”

There was a fierceness in those ancient green eyes that rendered Michiru at loss for words. She could see concern mixed with fiery determination to protect the innocent at all costs. It was a gaze she had grown used to, for she had gotten many glimpses of it when Shirou was in battle.

The fact he was directing this powerful gaze at her, and only her, made Michiru instinctively cower and pin her ears back in submission. When she realized what she was doing, she mentally scolded herself and got defensive.

“I can take care of myself.” Michiru stubbornly replied. “I’m not that clueless high school girl anymore, Shirou. I’m stronger and more skilled in combat, you know that.”

“You’re also a target.” His voice was sharp like a blade, cutting straight through Michiru’s resolve. “Michiru, you’re a walking proof of equality between humans and beastmen. There are many people out there who want you _dead_.”

The last word’s aftershock spread through the whole room, settling a dead silence that felt downright deafening. Michiru felt its impact like a punch to the stomach, spreading a chill through her body that made her shudder. For the second time that night, Shirou realized he had been too harsh and felt the urge to smack himself.

“Sorry.” He sat next to the crestfallen girl. Before he could continue, though, she raised her hand and gave him an understanding, albeit sad look.

“It’s fine, you’re just worried.” Michiru faced Shirou fully and offered a small, reassuring smile. “And yeah, this is risky, but I don’t want to go back to living in fear and running away from hunters. I want to pursue my own goals, learn new things, make friends and help humans and beastmen get along once and for all. Going to the university is a way to do all of these.”

Shirou caught a jovial determination in her voice. It was almost contagious, and he found himself relaxing a bit under its influence. He knew that tanuki was simply too stubborn to give up on her studies, now more than ever. His only option was to trust Michiru in her decisions.

“… fine.” The answer was quiet, but Michiru caught it. Her blooming pride in defeating Shirou was almost palpable in the air, so he quickly stifled it in a grumpy voice “As long as you promise to be careful. No throwing yourself into danger. No blindly trusting anyone. No reckless actions in general. Got it?”

“Ok, ok. Geez.” She giggled a little, then placed a hand on her chest. “I swear on the Silver Wolf!”

Shirou raised an eyebrow. “I’m the Silver Wolf.”

“Exactly!” She reached over to ruffle his white hair. “That’s how you know I mean it.”

Shirou groaned and pushed her hands away from his hair, then shook it like a disgruntled dog. Now he had a rat’s nest for a head, which only encouraged the girl to giggle further. Rolling his eyes, Shirou took a brief glimpse at the clock on the wall and frowned. “It’s really late, we should go back to bed.”

“Well… technically, it’s early.” That resulted in an annoyed, half lidded stare from Shirou. Michiru merely offered a snarky grin as answer, before it was interrupted by a yawn. “Alright, I admit I’m feeling sleepy already.”

Shirou snorted. “I’m going back downstairs, then. Maybe I can still get some sleep tonight.” He grumbled as he sat up from the bed.

It was then an idea struck Michiru’s mind. She remembered the reason why Shirou was up in the first place, then looked down at her bed. A flush of red spread over the skin under her cheek fur as she considered her options.

_No way. This would be mortifying._

_… but maybe…_

Her inner voice was split in two, each pulling at her sanity in a fierce match of tug-of-war, while she watched her friend making his way to the door. Everything was in slow motion, with each heartbeat in her chest sounding like the tick of a clock. There was no time.

_It’s now or never._

“Wait!” She hopped off her bed and hastily grabbed one of Shirou’s arms, earning a questioning look from him. “You stayed with me when I had a nightmare, right? How about I return the favor?”

The question made Shirou tense up and widen his eyes, blinking in a mix of surprise and puzzlement. “… what?”

“You had a nightmare tonight, didn’t you?” Given Shirou’s resistance to admitting it earlier, Michiru didn’t wait for a reply. “I can keep you company this time so you can have a proper rest, just like you did for me. I don’t mind.” Each word she blurted out made Michiru more aware of the kind of offer she was making, causing waves of embarrassment to wash all over her body. By now she was tomato red and lacked the guts to meet her friend’s eyes. His silence really didn’t help with the anxiety eating her up.

Meanwhile, Shirou was at loss of what to say, or even, what to _think_. This request came out of nowhere and left him absolutely stunned. His thoughts now turned into a spinning haze of questions. Seconds turned into a minute, all at the speed of a snail. _What was he supposed to do?_

This was a crazy idea. Every instinct in his body seemed to agree with that… and yet, there was something inside him feeling drawn to it. Shirou closed his eyes to pinpoint what it was, only to realize it was that strange warmth in his chest once more. Somehow, it only showed up when he was around Michiru, not unlike a moth fluttering to the light.

With only a few wing beats, that small moth managed to quiet all the other voices.

“Alright.”

The unexpected answer made Michiru jolt. She gave the man an incredulous stare, while his face was as unreadable as ever. “Wait, really?”

Shirou tried to paint a calm image of himself by shrugging, though deep inside he was far from that. He had to resist the urge to gulp down the knot in his throat. “I don’t see why not.”

Michiru’s face lit up. She wasn’t sure why she wanted him to stay so badly, but the fact Shirou didn’t reject her offer made her very happy. After releasing his arm, she quietly walked back to her bed and crawled to its far side. Shirou watched Michiru make herself comfortable on her spot, all while tuning out the swarm of voices screaming at him for agreeing to this. He, too, had no idea why he wanted to stay by her side.

All he knew were the memories of that peaceful night he spent with Michiru in his arms. The first dreamless, genuinely restful sleep he’d had in decades.

Yawning, Shirou removed his shoes and crawled on the closest side of the bed, trying his hardest not to look at Michiru. His body immediately relaxed upon feeling a soft mattress under his back instead of his study couch. Although he never really minded sleeping on it, he had forgotten how superior an actual mattress felt. That alone already made his decision worth it in his mind.

Michiru pulled the silky covers over herself and turned her back to Shirou, too sheepish to dare facing him. This was already an awkward situation, after all, and there was no need to make it worse. His presence by her side would be good enough.

“Goodnight, Shirou.” She mumbled, closing her eyes and savoring the comfort and peacefulness of the quiet ambience. An ear twitched back when another voice followed hers.

“Goodnight.”


	3. Among the Flames of Disaster

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hold onto your butts, it's gonna get bloody in here.

_What the hell am I doing?_

It was night, and Shirou found himself perched on the rooftop of a building neighboring the slums. According to an informant, the newly formed anti-human group would meet up in one of the worn-down houses facing his position. His mission tonight was keeping an eye on any suspicious activities and using his sharp canine hearing to spy on them. It sounded simple enough, and although it meant staying in place for hours, Shirou was already used to it. He was a very good observer with plenty of patience to burn.

Not this time, however.

No matter how much he tried, Shirou couldn’t focus on his work tonight. His thoughts kept diverting back to a certain tanuki and, more specifically, the _peculiar_ relationship they had developed in the past two weeks.

After their second time sleeping together, Shirou and Michiru had come to a mutual realization upon waking up in the next morning: once again, their sleep had been fulfilling and peaceful. No nightmares, no paranoia, no falling sensations… absolutely nothing. It was as if each other’s very presence warded off the nightly calamities and replaced them with nothing but comfort.

At some point in their sleep, the two friends ended up cuddling together. Michiru’s head rested on Shirou’s chest, while he wrapped his arm around her back in a half hug. Unsurprisingly, it was a very awkward position to find themselves in, but they quickly realized that they didn’t actually care about it that much. After waking up feeling so… free of their burdens, both were in a mood too great to focus on such matters.

During the rest of that day, Michiru was constantly humming songs to herself with a happy skip to her walk. Shirou wasn’t much different, spending his time whistling quietly as he filled documents in the study room. The change in their behavior grabbed Gem and Melissa’s attention, who questioned the duo at lunch. To their confusion, Shirou and Michiru merely shrugged and said they were in a good mood.

Later, after the Horners retired to their bedroom for the night, Shirou was heading towards his study and crossed paths with Michiru in the hallway. She wore her usual night tank top with shorts, and her fur was damp from having just showered. Both froze in place and stared at each other.

No words were exchanged, but they didn’t need any. Having spent years working together, the duo had learned to read each other’s eyes and body language. Shirou still proved to be a challenge at times, but Michiru still succeeded in catching subtle hints of his emotions in the way he moved, dressed, or even worded his sentences.

And at that moment, an _unspoken agreement_ was settled between them.

Michiru headed for the stairs leading to her room, and Shirou, instead of entering his own, quietly followed her steps.

What was supposed to be an one-time incident lead to the next, and the next… and so on for two weeks. The idea of sleeping alone had become a strange, distant reality to Michiru and Shirou. It was that odd warmth in their chests again… it yearned for the other’s presence. It cherished their closeness.

_It was addicting._

Shirou was usually the first to wake up, having always been an early bird. He’d look down at the tanuki cuddled to his body and mentally scold himself for letting that happen. Every time his thoughts reminded him how inappropriate such behavior was, an inner voice growled back, arguing this was just a matter of “innocent bed sharing” between close friends.

He knew better, though. Friends don’t really sleep on the same bed. Even in beastman culture, that was a practice reserved only for mates… and yet he’d rather pretend to believe the voice, like a fool in denial. The thought alone made him scowl in shame.

It didn’t help that both Shirou and Michiru were simply too awkward to confront each other about any of this, either. After waking up, Shirou would detach himself from Michiru and go downstairs, leaving her to wake up later by herself. He felt like a jerk doing that, but he didn’t want to risk having the Horners catch them in such a position. That would put Michiru through a much worse situation.

Besides having a silent conversation via exchanged looks during breakfast, they never addressed this new habit of theirs. It was their dirty little secret.

That frustrated Shirou to no end. What was he, a _coward_? How long was he willing to keep this up? Was he taking advantage of Michiru? Such questions plagued his mind and gave him headaches. He couldn’t help but groan loudly as he rubbed the fur on his forehead in distress. Shirou’s canine lip rose to expose fangs, as if trying to scare his own nagging thoughts away. Obviously, it was to no avail.

Something suddenly buzzed in Shirou’s trench coat. He reached into a pocket and picked up his phone, which screen lit up with Michiru’s name on it. That was odd, at this hour she should still be at the university. The wolfman looked back down at the suspicious house to make sure nobody had showed up, then tapped the answer button and brought the device to his ear. “Ogami.”

“ _Shirou_.” Michiru’s voice was hushed, which instantly raised red flags in Shirou’s head. He could envision her hiding in a dark corner as she spoke. “ _I think I’m being followed._ ”

Shirou straightened up at full attention. He looked around, searching for the university in the large city landscape. “What’s wrong?”

“ _Four guys I’d never seen before showed up for class. At first, I thought they were new students, but-_ ” A muffled sound interrupted her voice, probably because Michiru had covered the phone with her hand. Was someone dangerous walking past her? “ _Shit. I gotta go.”_

“Michiru?” The call ended abruptly. That couldn’t be good.

Shirou turned around to dart towards the university. There was no hesitation, Michiru’s safety was more important than the mission at hand. However, when he was halfway there, a blinding flash of yellow and white consumed part of the city sky. Then, seconds later, came the shockwave.

Its thunderous boom shattered the windows of every building standing in its way, spreading shattered glass in violent bursts. Shirou used his coat as a shield from a blast of shrapnel coming from a building nearby, but not everyone was as lucky. The citizens still out in the streets screamed in shock and pain, some of them pointing at a pillar of rising smoke and flames not too far away. When Shirou took a proper look at it, his green eyes widened in horror.

The Anima City University was lit in flames.

* * *

Michiru hated it when Shirou was right.

She could feel their eyes burning the back of her head. The four males, all in their human forms, kept sneaking looks in her direction, always turning away as soon as Michiru looked back. Michiru could swear she caught one of them smirking in her direction, too. The beastly instincts within her body were all screaming for her to get out of that room, causing her hackles to bristle as if charged with static.

The classroom was relatively small, with enough desks for thirty people. The newcomers seemed to have strategically picked their spots to surround Michiru in a horseshoe formation. When she realized that, her paranoia shot through the roof. Shirou’s stern voice echoed in her mind, repeating words she had been dreading ever since she first heard them.

_There are many people out there who want you **dead**_

With the blooming anxiety in her stomach, it didn’t take long for Michiru to give in to her instincts. She hurriedly cleaned up her desk and put all her belongings in a black backpack, then she all but ran to the door to escape the strangers’ devious stares.

Her course was one of the university’s last classes for the night, and therefore the halls were mostly deserted. The sight never bothered Michiru before, but tonight, specifically, she found it incredibly unnerving. She couldn’t blend in with a crowd, nor ask for help. Her best chance was morphing into her human form in hopes those men wouldn’t identify her.

After turning around a corner which lights had been turned off, the newly transformed girl took a shaky breath and crouched down behind a metal desk left against the wall. The darkness of the hallway put Michiru on edge, but hopefully it would hide her form from prying eyes. Once she was sure nobody was approaching, she quickly fished a smartphone from her jacket and tapped furiously on the screen with shaky hands. “C’mon, Shirou… I need you.” Michiru whispered.

Thankfully, Shirou wasn’t the kind of guy to leave the phone unattended. Michiru was relieved to hear his voice after only two beeps. “ _Ogami._ ”

“Shirou.” A sense of relief immediately washed over her body. She took another look down the hallway before continuing, keeping her voice as low as possible. “I think I’m being followed.”

_“What’s wrong?”_

“Four guys I’d never seen before showed up for class. At first, I thought they were new students, but-” Suddenly she heard footsteps. In a bolt of panic, Michiru covered the smartphone’s bright screen and froze in place. Far down the hallway, she could see a dark silhouette coming in her direction. “Shit. I gotta go.”

Michiru shoved the phone in her pocket, grabbed her backpack and darted around the corner to return to the brightly lit hallway… only to run straight into a big, unmoving body. Yelping, the girl stumbled backwards and fell on the floor with a pained grunt.

“Well, well, look what we found here.” Standing before Michiru was the biggest one of the four men she had seen earlier. He was a bulky, bearded black man whose dark eyes were filled with nothing but malice. The many scars covering his body displayed a long journey of delinquency and victorious battles, ranging from bullet holes to claw marks as thick as Michiru’s fingers. “It’s the mutt herself.”

Michiru jumped to her feet and gave him a nervous smile. “I-I’m sorry, sir. I’m afraid you mistook me for someone else.” She slowly backed away, until she hit another unmoving body. Its owner gripped her shoulders with a deep chuckle.

“Oh, we know _exactly_ who you are, Michiru Kagemori.” The man behind her was leaner, but still strong. He was tan with dark brown hair and hazel eyes. “You are the mayor’s pet. The human who pretends to be one of us.” A look of pure disdain suddenly twisted his features into something sinister. Michiru cried out when he suddenly dug his nails into her shoulders. “I’m going to _love_ ruining that pretty face of yours.”

The girl watched his hands morph and grow a thick layer of tan fur. Nails were turned into claws, and Michiru gasped in pain as blood seeped out of her shoulders. The aggressor, who had taken the form of a cougar, seemed to savor the sounds of her suffering, judging from the twisted, toothy grin they brought to his feline lips.

That didn’t last long, however. In a split second, Michiru had transformed into her tanuki self and grabbed the cougar’s arms with her own gorilla shaped ones. Her muzzle twisted into a fierce snarl and, using the newly gained brute force, Michiru launched the guy forward like a ragdoll. There was great satisfaction in watching him slam into the black man still standing before her, then ungraciously roll down the hallway together. Just as they came to a stop, two other guys showed up and looked at the scene unfolding in front of them, stunned.

“What are you waiting for?! Get her!!” The cougar roared to his companions. They jumped into action and morphed, ripping their shirts off in the process. The big black guy revealed himself as a moose with massive, imposing antlers. The other two were a bulky alligator and a hippo covered in tattoos.

Michiru ran forward with a roar of her own as she changed into a jaguar, charging towards the alligator. Her feline body was faster and nimbler, which made dodging the opponent’s punches much easier. Not only that, but there was a clear reason why she had turned into a jaguar: Their bite could pierce crocodilian hide.

As soon as she saw an opening in the alligator’s lunges, she jumped onto his back, latched her claws on the thick scales and sunk her teeth in the chinks between large plates lining the back of his neck. There was a blood curdling scream when Michiru pulled on the hide with all her might. He slammed himself on walls in fruitless attempts to get rid of the girl, sometimes even hitting them headfirst, but Michiru’s flexible body let her twist away without breaking her grip. Comically, the hippo tried to help by swinging a bat at her, though all he accomplished was beating the reptile repeatedly.

Soon enough, Michiru managed to rip a large chunk of keratinous plates off the alligator’s back with a sickening wet noise, leaving the raw skin exposed and spurting blood. He cried out with tears lining the corners of his eyes, while the girl morphed back into a tanuki and spit the chunk of flesh on the floor, staring at the four enemies with fresh blood covering her muzzle. There was an odd, bloodthirsty spark in her teal eyes, something Shirou probably had rubbed off on her over the years. It gave Michiru a strangely menacing look.

“Well…” She wiped off some of the blood with her right arm and sneered. “Who’s next?”

The moose snorted loudly and pulled out a knife from his pants, while the hippo readied his bat in hands. However, the cougar stepped in front of them and extended an arm in a silent command to halt. Michiru narrowed her eyes. _That must be the leader._

“I have a better idea.” A wide, predatory grin stretched his lips in such a way, it sparked a shudder down Michiru’s spine. He raised his other hand, showing the briefest glimpse of a device before he pressed its button with a quiet _click_.

Suddenly, the world around Michiru shook violently. Having grown up in the mainland, her instincts prepared her for an earthquake and sought the protection of a hiding spot, but there was none in the hallway besides a few tables. She ended up losing her footing and dropping to the floor. The tremor was nothing compared to what came a second after, though.

The blast was deafening. It rung Michiru’s eardrums and made her cry out in panic, just like that dreadful storm night at the Co-op. She could only hold the wall and squeeze her eyes shut as chaos erupted all around her, hoping to come out of this unscathed even if it meant hearing an earful from Shirou afterwards. Hell, if anything, the sound of his angry voice would be a relief compared to all the noises overwhelming her senses right now. Walls creaked and crumbled. Alarms went off and blared ominously. Glass shattered and… were those _screams_ coming from outside? Michiru couldn’t tell, her ears were still ringing.

Something harshly grabbed her jacket and yanked Michiru up, making her yelp in surprise. Opening her eyes didn’t help clear her staggered mind. The hallway lights were all out, replaced with blinking red lights synchronized to the blaring alarm. Dust rendered the whole place in a permanent foggy state as well.

“Did you really need to do that _here_??” The angry voice was somewhat muffled by all the noise surrounding Michiru, but she recognized it as the moose’s. “We’re too close to the blast. Look at Frank, he got a nasty hit to the head!”

“Shut up! We have a job to finish.”

Michiru felt the wind burst out of her lungs when a big fist hit her stomach. She gasped and wheezed, crumbling down to the floor as the grip on her jacket vanished. Her brain was recovering its bearings by now, and a rush of boiling anger started flowing in her veins. “You asshole.” She seethed through her teeth. Another punch followed, this time to her face.

“That’s for the bite.” The alligator hissed, shaking his fist with a satisfied grin. Michiru looked up and gave the four thugs the nastiest glare she could muster, which proved to be a mistake when she was kicked on the side by the tattooed hippo. His head was covered in blood, which meant he was probably the Frank guy they mentioned. Michiru cried out, feeling an intense, sharp pain running up the entirety of her left arm. A quick glance at it revealed that it had been impaled by countless shrapnel at some point during the blast, probably when a hallway window burst.

Their leader once again expressed nothing but pleasure in Michiru's chagrin. He forcefully yanked her up again and slammed her back on the nearest wall. “Humans are like parasites, you know? They destroy everything they touch and _enjoy it_. They’ve massacred, enslaved and experimented on beastmen countless times, trying their hardest to destroy our proud lineage.” He closed his clawed hand on Michiru’s neck, squeezing it. She instinctively gasped and reached up to tug at the chokehold. “You, miss Kagemori, are their biggest attempt to pervert our race. Can you imagine it? Humans infiltrating our race as fake beastmen??”

The cougar’s visage twisted into a mix of contempt and absolute disgust, as if the very sight of Michiru was enough to make him nauseous. His partners did the same, displaying scowls so deep they could have pulled a muscle.

“We can’t let that happen, can we?” His free hand shuffled for a moment, and suddenly Michiru’s senses were overwhelmed with searing hot pain. She screamed regardless of the grip on her throat, feeling each twist of the knife deeply jabbed into her shoulder. A scraping sensation told Michiru the tip of the blade had hit the wall behind her.

If there was anything Michiru learned after finally accepting her beastman side, specially from working beside Shirou for so long, it was to embrace her animalistic instincts. Her pacifist nature was still predominant, but if she were pushed far enough, pain would be quickly turned into anger and adrenaline, fueling a brutal side of the tanuki not many had the displeasure of witnessing.

And right now, she had been pushed beyond far enough.

Michiru’s fur bristled and grew longer, changing into a darker shade of brown. The cougar’s arrogance faltered when he realized the girl’s body was growing bigger as well, to the point of causing him to lose his grip on her increasingly thick neck. The four thugs stepped back and gawked. They had witnessed Michiru’s shapeshifting abilities earlier, but not to this extent. Her clothes strained against her new form until, finally, they all ripped apart, revealing fur so thick underneath, it looked impenetrable. She raised one hand to her shoulder and yanked the knife out without flinching, then looked down at her opponents with bared teeth under a long snout. Her gaze was a dark pit of rage.

Michiru was no longer a tanuki, but a towering bear ready for battle.

The first to act was the hippo. He charged forward and swung his bat, aiming for Michiru’s side again. The dense fur softened the impact, however, and left him vulnerable to a powerful punch that threw him across the floor and into a wall. Michiru let out a deafening roar, extended her sickle-like claws and leaped after him like a predator pouncing on its prey. Luckily for the hippo, his hide was even harder to pierce than the alligator’s, and Michiru’s claws could only cause shallow scratches. Smirking, he shoved her away, opened his gargantuan maw wide and speared her midriff with the long, forward-facing incisors lining his lower jaw.

Michiru cried out, feeling those ivory daggers pierce her thick skin like butter. At the same time, behind her, the moose bellowed and jumped on her back, sinking two knives into flesh repeatedly. She was stuck between a rock and a hard place now. “Gotcha, you mutt.”

Suddenly, the hippo caught the glimpse of a smirk on Michiru’s lips. Within a split second, she had grabbed his massive arching canines in her bearly paws. First, the tattooed thug felt an unbearable pressure on them, then there was a thunderous _crack_ that made everyone flinch. The hippo jerked his head away and stumbled to the ground, wailing in pain and fury as he touched the broken stumps that used to be his most valuable assets. Before he could seek vengeance, however, Michiru struck his head with one of the tusks.

Still overtaken by adrenaline, she whipped her body around with shocking agility for such a large beast, which caught the moose off guard. Michiru’s fist closed around his neck and lifted the male up in the air, only to slam him on the floor with all her might. Tiles cracked and sunk in under the impact of his body.

The moose grunted and coughed, having had the air forcefully expulsed from his lungs. Michiru wasn’t done, though. Growling, she closed her teeth on one of his legs and spun her whole body around to launch the bulky male straight at the hippo. The poor guy had just risen back to his feet and found himself slammed so hard against the wall behind him, he blacked out instantly. To make sure both were incapacitated, Michiru grabbed the discarded bat nearby and hit the moose’s head twice just as he was about to voice out his pain, rendering him unconscious as well.

_Two down, two to go._

As if on cue, the alligator ran over and swung his legs in a move similar to a roundhouse kick, except he hit Michiru with his muscular tail instead of legs. It knocked the beastly girl off her feet and gave her enemy a window to latch his big jaws on her left arm. She roared and tried to claw at his head, which resulted in a large cut across the alligator’s right eye. He hissed in pain, and yet tightened his jaws on her arm instead of releasing it. With a swing of his tail, he rolled his body in a characteristic crocodilian move. There was a loud snap, and Michiru half roared, half wailed as intense pain spread through her whole body in ripples. Her forearm was broken.

It only took a second for the pain to fuel Michiru’s anger. Now on all fours, she stomped her foot on the alligator’s tail and raised her injured arm to expose his soft underbelly. He realized what was about to happen a little too late. Michiru bit the underside of his neck, crushing his trachea and forcing the male to gasp for air. With her broken arm free from his teeth, she smacked his head on the ground several times, only releasing his throat when the alligator was knocked out cold.

Michiru rose to her feet, panting heavily. She wasn’t an easy sight on the eyes right now. Two deep punctures were hidden in the fur of her stomach, while her back was lined with multiple stab wounds, all bleeding freely down her body and onto the tiled floor. To make her situation worse, two knives still jutted from her back like macabre body growths, and her left forearm was visibly bent at an unnatural shape. Yet, her bear body was mostly numbed, feeling only the bubbling adrenaline pumping into her muscles.

_Wait. Where’s the cougar?_

Teal eyes widened in realization as she looked around. That damn coward had run away! The thought of him escaping from her claws made a primal flame roar to life in her chest. Using a bear’s sharp sense of smell, it wasn’t difficult to pinpoint where exactly the cougar had gone. She showed no hesitation before dropping on all fours, tucking her broken arm against her chest, and then charging down the dark hallway like a living war tank.

For a moment, Michiru looked more beastly than your ordinary beastman. Given the factor her clothes had been ripped away by the transformation, she resembled a feral bear running after its victim, feeling the rush of a hunt with every step. It was awkward to run on three legs, but she quickly adapted and maintained a steady speed. The stronger that cougar’s pungent scent got, the brighter the flames in her chest burned. Nevermind the red trail Michiru was leaving behind.

She stopped at a crossway of halls. It was swept in shadows, and the strong scent of smoke made it harder to detect the cougar’s. Still, she knew he was hiding somewhere in there. There were tables and chairs strewn all over the place for some sort of project exhibition, which offered plenty of hiding spots. Michiru stayed crouched, ready to jump away if there was an ambush, and carefully stepped around the broken glass covering the floor.

Suddenly, there was a loud _bang_ in the air. Michiru jerked away and saw a bullet hole in the spot she had just stood on. Her ears perked up in alert now, knowing there was a firearm involved.

“I’ll give this to you.” His infuriating, sly voice bounced off the walls. “You’re much harder to kill than I expected!”

“Quit babbling and show your face, you coward!” As a bear, Michiru’s voice sounded deeper and gruff, like some sort of growl. “You want me dead? Come here to kill me like a man!”

Teal eyes caught a glimpse of movement rippling in the shadows, right before the cougar leaped from the darkness and hit Michiru’s head with a metal chair. She yelped and fell to her knees, stunned, but managed to react fast enough to jump away before he attempted another hit. The impact of metal on the floor rung in their ears.

“I’m no _man_.” The cougar seethed, tossing his improvised weapon away. He then pulled out an automatic handgun from his belt and pointed it at Michiru. “Don’t you _dare_ compare me to a filthy human!”

Michiru darted away as multiple _bangs_ rung in her bear ears. Her thoughts were swarming at full speed, yelling at her to run, hide and fight all at the same time. It didn’t help that the angry flames in her chest were beginning to dim by now, finally allowing exhaustion and pain to settle in her body. She gritted her teeth and pushed on, trying her hardest to ignore the sting of her wounds. Another _bang_ , and a patch of skin was grazed off her lower back. _Too close._

A dull _click_ grabbed Michiru’s attention. The cougar had pulled the trigger, only to have the gun falter. He was out of ammo.

_That’s my chance._

Using her bear strength, Michiru flipped a large wooden table on its side with a loud _thump_ , then moved behind it and charged towards the cougar. He had no time to react before the table slammed on him like an unstoppable locomotive. Michiru pinned him to the floor with it and pressed her uninjured paw on its middle. He gasped in pain, immobilized under her crushing pressure, which brought a smirk to her lips. It was over.

“I win.” She declared, snorting heavily on his face. To her surprise, the cougar smirked back.

_BANG_

Michiru blinked in shock. Time seemed to slow to a crawl as she looked down at the smoking hole that now marred the smooth underside of the table. It didn’t take long for blood to start dripping on the wood.

The gun hadn’t run out of ammo, it had only jammed.

Suddenly feeling very dizzy, Michiru backed off the furniture with shaky steps, only to stumble and fall on her side. All the resolve she had built up during the whole fight had vanished, and the warm flames giving her strength were replaced with a gelid emptiness spreading through her body. It made Michiru shiver and grow very aware of how sodden with blood her fur had become, and how much all the wounds she had accumulated by now ached. She brought her good paw to a tingling spot on her chest, whimpering when her fears were confirmed by the amount of blood staining her paw pads. That’s where she had been shot.

“Aw, don’t be sad.” The cougar taunted. After pushing the table away, he rose to his feet and dusted off his clothes. More _clicks_ echoed in the air, this time from replacing the ammo of his gun. “For a human, you put up quite the fight. I’d even say you were a worthy opponent.”

Michiru growled deeply when he came closer and stepped on the crimson river making its way from her body. She wished so badly she could grab his legs, pull him down and bite his face off, but her body had no energy left. It was paralyzed by acute pain and exhaustion. Not to mention that, judging from her lightheaded state, Michiru was sure she had already lost a lot of blood as well. She opened her mouth to throw all sorts of insults at the cougar, but only managed to cough out more of the coppery fluid instead.

“Don’t worry, I’m going to put an end to your suffering. I think you earned it.” He pointed his gun at Michiru’s head and offered her a nearly maniacal smile, the kind that can curdle milk with a single glimpse. “Goodbye, Michiru Kagemori.”

She could only close her eyes and wait for the worst.

… but it never came.

There was a loud gasp, followed by lots of shuffling, grunting and yelling. Michiru perked her ears when she heard a body slam into a row of tables, but she was still too afraid to open her eyes. It didn’t help that she felt so… _tired_ …

“Michiru!”

 _That voice._ Even in her weakened state, Michiru would always recognize Shirou’s voice. She slowly blinked her eyes open and found herself face to face with the wolfman himself. He looked distraught, which was odd. He rarely ever broke his calm visage, even in dire situations. Naturally, Michiru’s initial reaction to that was an attempt to lighten the mood. “Hey… what took you so long?” She mumbled with a weak, but cheeky grin.

Shirou raised an eyebrow at her attitude, but didn’t say anything. He tried his best not to scowl at the awful amount of blood soaking Michiru’s fur as he inspected each wound. At some point, Michiru heard him mumble “fuck” under his breath, which surprised her. “I’ll take you to the hospital.” He said before taking off his trench coat and wrapping it around her body.

It was then Michiru realized that she had morphed back to her tanuki form at some point, probably when she had her eyes closed. Now she was nude without the thick bear fur to hide her curves, which left her body fully exposed to her friend. That would have made Michiru blush if she hadn’t already lost so much blood.

As soon as Shirou tried to lift her in his arms, Michiru’s whole body lit up with unbearable pain. She cried out and grabbed a handful of Shirou’s fur, burying her face in it and begging him to stop. Unfortunately, he couldn’t. “Sorry, but I need to get you out of here _now_.” He took a quick glance at the smoke coming from one of the hallways, knowing his time was limited.

Shirou carefully wrapped his left arm around Michiru’s back while avoiding touching the knives still attached to it. He knew better than pulling them out, given that would only worsen the bleeding. After getting a firm grip on the girl’s body, he ran to the nearest window and jumped through it.

The noise outside was overwhelming. There were all kinds of sirens ranging from police cars to firetrucks. People were crying, screaming and talking on their phones in panicked voices. _What was happening?_

It was hard for Michiru to focus, though. The lightheadedness she had been feeling intensified with each heartbeat, making her train of thought crumble down like a house of cards. Soon, her vision was reduced to dancing blurs, and Michiru had no strength to move her head anymore. The only thing in her mind was how cold she felt, and how soft and _warm_ Shirou’s body was. It made the tanuki crave it, nuzzling his fur and going limp against his torso. Even though her body was shivering, Michiru quickly lost herself to the sensations.

Nothing else mattered.

Not even Shirou’s panicked voice when darkness took over.


	4. Torments of Two Hearts

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was so happy to see such a positive reaction to the last chapter! I was afraid I made Michiru sound too brutal, even though she's supposed to be older and more experienced as a fighter now. I do have a very unhealthy love for writing violence, after all. Haha.
> 
> I'm having lots of fun writing this story, so it's nice to see readers enjoy it just as much.
> 
> Anyway, here's a new chapter. Good reading!

Michiru felt like she had been hit by a train.

As soon as she woke up, she wished someone would knock her back out. Groaning, she let her head sink in the pillows as far down as possible in a desperate attempt to soothe her incessant headache. It felt like a hammer hitting her skull from inside out, each impact making her ears ring a constant, sharp tune, as if listening to a phone line.

One by one, more of Michiru’s senses stirred awake. The tips of her fingers and toes tingled, longing for stimuli. Her little snout wrinkled as it detected the scent of antiseptics in the air. Eventually, the ringing that plagued her ears slowly morphed into a rhythmic beeping noise, which sounded oddly familiar.

_Am I at a hospital?_

It took Michiru a while to open her eyes, only to be blinded both by the pristine white walls of the room, and the sunlight shining through a gap in the curtains. Michiru hissed a curse under her breath, blinking tears away from her burning eyes. She meant to rub them, but stopped herself upon noticing the state of her arms. One was badly bruised and wrapped in bandages from the elbow up. The other was encased in a cast and supported by a sling.

The sight sparked distant, foggy memories from deep within Michiru’s aching head, though she could barely make sense of them all. It felt like trying to grasp at smoke, and the more she tried to dig through her recollections, the further they flew away.

Frowning, she looked down at her torso and noticed it was almost fully covered in bandages under the hospital gown. Some of them were stained red. For a moment, Michiru wondered how bad her body must look, given all the bruises, cuts and stabs she had to endure in her encounter with those thugs. Not to mention the…

_Oh, that’s right, I was shot!_

The tanuki jerked up with a gasp, then immediately dropped back on the pillows thanks to the sharp pain that ran down her spine. Michiru used her good hand to peek under the gown and touch a spot on her chest. The image of her big, bearly paw stained in blood flashed in her mind, but there was no blood in her hand this time. The bandages were perfectly clean.

Eventually a nurse came by. She smiled upon seeing Michiru awake and explained that she had been unconscious for three days. No wonder her throat felt so dry and itchy. Apparently, she had been rushed to the surgery room as soon as she arrived at the hospital to remove two knives and a bullet, which had come centimeters from hitting the heart. To make things worse, she had lost so much blood, the surgeon didn’t think she’d make it. She had survived what was probably her most dangerous ordeal yet by the skin of her teeth.

Her mind kept going back to Shirou, though, and the promise she had made on his godly name. Michiru’s ears drooped in shame, she had sworn to be careful and failed miserably. Shirou was right, she was a trouble magnet, and now she’d never hear the end of it.

A while later, Michiru got her first visitors. The Horners had rushed to the hospital shortly after being informed of her waking through the phone. Melissa brought flowers while Gem held her back from giving the injured tanuki a big hug. It was obvious they had been worried sick over Michiru’s condition. They kept her company for a while, but Michiru kept feeling like they were evading something. It was noticeable in the stiffness of their bodies whenever they discussed that night at the university, but she just assumed they were uncomfortable with the brutality of her assault.

After the Horners left, Michiru dosed off. She was still aching and, after spending so much energy talking with Gem and Melissa, she felt exhausted. The painkillers only served to make her even sleepier. Anything that helped her forget about her wounds was a blessing, though.

By the second time Michiru stirred awake, she heard several voices not too far away. They sounded hushed, and she couldn’t quite understand the words in her sleepy state. Only after blinking her eyes open did she recognize one of the voices as Barbara’s. She saw her talking to a cop through a small window on the door, which made her suspicious. Sure, Barbara was a close friend, but as the Mayor, she rarely had time to see the tanuki in person at the hospital whenever she suffered battle injuries. That had been especially true in the past year or so, given how busy Barbara was with multiple big projects for human integration in Anima City.

As if feeling Michiru’s eyes on her, Barbara looked at the window and her face lit up. She finished whatever she was discussing with the unknown cop, then opened the door and made her way to Michiru’s bed. “Hello, Michiru. How are you feeling?”

“Like I was turned inside out and then tossed under a truck.” Michiru groaned, but kept a smile on her face to lighten up the mood. Her ears twitched at the sound of the door opening again, and two cops entered the room. They were followed shortly by Shirou in his human form, who stayed behind to lean back on the wall with crossed arms. Michiru noted that he was wearing a black jacket this time.

“Michiru.” Barbara grabbed her attention again. The cops pulled two chairs over and showed Michiru their notepads, letting her know they were there to take notes of her testimony. “We need to talk about what happened at the university.”

“I figured.” She sighed and slouched back on the bed in an exasperated manner. “There were four guys. I’d never seen them before, but they joined my class and took seats surrounding me. That made me suspicious, so I went outside to call Shirou.” Michiru scowled as she recalled the memories. They had been very confusing earlier, but after that fulfilling nap everything seemed to be coming together. “They cornered me in the hall, though. I tried to escape, but it didn’t work, so I was forced to fight.”

“Don’t worry, we arrested those dumbasses.” One of the cops, a young blonde man, spoke up, offering Michiru a smug grin. “You beat them to a pulp, I bet that gang will think twice from now on before pulling a stunt like this again.”

A mix of surprise and confusion flashed in Michiru’s eyes. “Wait, what gang?”

The atmosphere in the hospital room became charged with solemnity, and the other cop, a middle-aged man brandishing a distinctive brown mustache, gave his young partner a smack on the head. “Your attackers belong to an anti-human terrorist group. They consider humans a threat to be purged.”

Michiru’s eyes widened. She glanced at Shirou on the other side of the room and recalled his words about such group rising from the shadows. “The rumors were true, then?”

Shirou nodded slowly, looking as stoic as ever. “The police are still interrogating them as we speak, but yes.”

“There’s more.” The mustached cop continued. “We suspect they’ve been keeping an eye on you for a while, learning all about your routine and connections to plan an assault.”

The idea of being spied on brought a horrified look to Michiru’s face. Her skin crawled under fur and bandages, suddenly feeling very exposed. If she could, Michiru would have hidden herself in the bedsheets.

“If that’s true, then… what will happen to me?” Her voice was quiet and fearful. If those beastmen were keeping tabs on her routine, did that mean she’d always be in danger from now on? What would that mean for her job and plans at the university? Or worse, would she be able to go out at all?

She had come to Anima City to find safety and acceptance. After spending over a year being hunted by malicious humans, alone and miserable, Michiru thought she could finally find peace and make a living among people like her… but now, beastmen were hunting her down as well.

Barbara could see the distress in Michiru’s eyes. She reached up and gently placed a hand on her shoulder. “That’s why I’m here.” Her voice was mellow and almost motherly in tone. “I’ve been debating the possibility of a victim protection initiative for you. Nazuna could be included as well, but given the circumstances and the fact she’s out on tour, she is safer away from Anime City right now, with her own security entourage.”

“Wouldn’t that require me to stay locked at home, though?”

“Well, that’s one of the matters I’ve been discussing.” The mayor explained. “I wanted to hear what you thought about it first.”

Michiru pursed her lips. On one hand, staying indoors would probably make most sense, but she hated the loneliness that came with it. The last thing she wanted was to return to a life of self-isolation, locked in the confines of her room. That thought alone made her stomach turn.

“I think staying inside would drive me mad.” She huffed after a while. Barbara wasn’t surprised.

“I’ll look into alternatives for you, such as including covert security agents. First, I need to reach out to my contacts and gauge the resources this would require.” The mayor then turned to Shirou. “What do you think, Ogami?”

Always the silent watcher, Shirou swept his analytical gaze over everyone present in the room before narrowing his eyes. “I was lured to the slums that night.” He started with a serious, grim voice. “An informant gave me a clue about the anti-human group’s whereabouts. They were supposed to meet up by the slums, but nothing happened. Considering the university is at the other side of the city, someone clearly wanted me out of the way to reach her.” A glimmer of anger sparked in his pale green eyes. “Those beastmen aren’t kidding around. They knew exactly what they were doing and put a lot of effort into targeting Michiru. She will need as much protection as possible.”

The tanuki couldn’t help but flatten her ears and cower under Shirou’s intense stare. Part of Michiru was frustrated with herself, knowing she should have been more careful and somehow avoided being cornered in such a way. The rest of her, though, was terrified by the whole thing.

“They are very well organized. The bombing wasn’t just meant as an attack to the university, it worked perfectly as a distraction, too. Two birds with one stone.” The mustached cop spoke up, distracted as he wrote something on his notepad.

_Bombing?_

Michiru’s head throbbed with a strange, tingling ache. It felt like her own brain was trying to warn her about a creeping danger, but there weren’t enough pieces to complete the puzzle. Had she forgotten something about that night? What was missing? Her memories were all over the place again.

“Oh, totally!” The younger officer said as he turned to his partner. “I bet they knew Ogami would come to Miss Kagemori’s rescue as soon as he got suspicious. All that chaos from the ambulances, police and firefighters made for a perfect obstacle.”

Something suddenly _clicked_ deep within Michiru’s head.

She could almost hear it, a sound too eerily close to that cougar’s jamming gun.

“Sorry, but… w-what are you two talking about?” Michiru’s voice was slow and strained, as if saying the words out loud physically hurt. “You said there was a… bombing?”

Suddenly, everyone in the room tensed up and went completely silent. Shirou, who had been resting against the wall with closed eyes, opened them and whipped his head to stare straight at Michiru. His lips pressed together into a thin line in fear of what was to come.

“Oh, you don’t remember?” Barbara exchanged a few looks with the officers, then, after taking a deep breath, spoke to Michiru in the softest voice she could muster. “Michiru, those beastmen had planted a bomb before they ambushed you and detonated it during the fight. That’s how you ended up with so much shrapnel on your arm.”

_Another click._

A chilling nausea twisted Michiru’s stomach into a knot. She could almost _feel_ the color leaving her skin as the implications of Barbara’s words fully sunk in. “But… what about the other students?” She asked after a long, strenuous pause.

Sighing, the mayor straightened her posture and gave Michiru a somber look. “Seven casualties.”

The answer echoed endlessly in the tanuki’s mind, as if in a cave. Each echo rippled Michiru’s thoughts in a pool of tangled memories, emotions and sensations. The throbbing headache rattling her skull skyrocketed, forcing the girl to squeeze her eyes shut with a whimper. Unfortunately, that only intensified her turmoil.

The memories, now more disjointed and chaotic than ever, flashed on the back of her eyelids like a broken projector. Suddenly, Michiru found herself back in that fateful hallway. Before her stood the maniacal cougar alongside his subordinates, and, for a split second, she caught a glimpse of a small device trapped in the feline’s fist.

Time slowed down. The device blinked red when he pressed its button, and then the whole world quaked under her feet. Screams could be heard outside. Shrieks of the panicked and the grieving.

Michiru opened her eyes, returning to the hospital… but not quite. Her body was numb, her eyes stared at nothing and her ears heard no sounds. She knew the cops were frantically telling Barbara something, but their voices were muffled. The corners of her sight pulsated with strange shapes, following the rhythm of her heartbeat as it grew faster and faster.

No matter how much Michiru tried to make sense of her surroundings, it felt like her brain couldn’t process it and stayed stuck in between the conscious and unconscious.

_Seven casualties._

Michiru’s pupils shrunk to pinholes as the pungent scent of plaster and smoke filled her nostrils. That’s right, there was a fire in the building… but not where she stood. She was too far away to notice it, and too far away to save the fallen.

Sirens blared in the distance, coming closer. A mix of firetrucks, ambulances and police cars, just like the cop had described.

Three knights of death amidst the blood of the innocent.

_I caused that._

She blinked. Now Shirou was no longer by the door. He had marched towards Michiru and grabbed her shoulders. His mouth opened and closed, but Michiru still heard nothing. Her eyes flicked down to her hands. They were covered in blood, not unlike in the nightmare from two weeks ago.

When Michiru looked up again, she was back in the hallway. Vibrant red lights lined its walls as the blaring alarms slowly phased into white noise. A dark silhouette of a cougar stood on the other side, displaying its sharp, white teeth in a sickening grin.

_Humans destroy everything they touch._

More smoke clouded her bearings. The air around the tanuki grew increasingly hot… so hot, in fact, it felt _suffocating_.

_I can’t breathe._

**_I can’t breathe._ **

Michiru gasped, lurching forward and wheezing violently. A burning ache filled her lungs, and for a moment she wondered if she was drowning. All around her there were blurs of movement and frantic voices. A quick look at her good hand showed that she was trembling horribly.

But then she felt the weight of someone’s hands on her shoulders and looked up. Michiru had forgotten Shirou was still holding her. His grip was firm, yet careful enough not to hurt the injured skin underneath the bandages. The intensity of his gaze held hers in place, anchoring the distressed tanuki to the real world and away from the shadows of anxiety. In any other instance, Michiru would have been embarrassed by how close their faces were. Today, however, she _needed_ the proximity, otherwise she’d drift away into the world of nightmares again.

The unbearable burn on her chest gradually vanished along with all the noise and movement in the room, leaving only the two of them. Michiru didn’t realize it, but she was slowing down her breathing to match Shirou’s, which allowed her aching lungs to calm down. She had no idea when she had started crying, nor how long they stayed there staring at each other, but she eventually raised a trembling hand and weakly tugged on Shirou’s black jacket.

Shirou understood the silent request and shifted closer, never breaking eye contact as he sat down on her bed. Michiru didn’t think twice before wrapping her good arm around his back and pressing herself flush against his chest, as if trying to hide away from the rest of the world. She cried into his sweater, whimpering.

“Is it true?” Her voice was so low and fragile, only Shirou was able to hear it. “People died in the attack?”

Shirou looked over his shoulder and back at the other people in the room. Barbara had left the room to get a nurse for Michiru, and the two cops were talking by the door. Sighing, Shirou stiffly stroked Michiru’s back and tried his best to ignore the witnesses to this rare display of affection. “Yes.” He said curtly. “Two workers and five students. The smoke got to them before the firefighters could.”

Michiru’s ears flattened on her head and she rubbed her face further in Shirou’s sweater. He could feel the spot growing wet with tears. “It’s my fault.”

“Don’t be stupid.” He cut in a little too fast, which made Michiru flinch. “It wasn’t you who planted that bomb in there.”

“They were coming after me!” The grip on his sweater tightened into a closed fist. Shirou felt it tremble with her growing self-hatred. “You were right, and I should have listened to you that night. Then this wouldn’t have happened.”

Frowning, Shirou lightly pushed Michiru away so he could look at her face-to-face. “I told you, that place is an easy target for these kinds of people. It was bound to happen with or without you.”

Michiru didn’t look convinced. More tears left her eyes and she tried to turn her head away, but, to her surprise, a gloved hand covered her cheek and prevented the action. As she stared into Shirou’s eyes, a tingly warmth crawled up her neck and onto her face, followed by a strange shiver that travelled her spine.

“Look.” Shirou’s voice was firm, but also filled with care. “I know _exactly_ what you’re feeling right now, so trust me when I say it won’t do good to anyone. Especially not _you_.”

The tanuki whimpered again, shaking her head. “But-”

“What would you rather do?” He cut her off. “Mope over something you had no control over, or help me track down these bastards so nobody else will be hurt?”

His bluntness caught Michiru off guard. At first, she opened her mouth to reply, but no words came out. There was a battle of voices happening inside her head, nearly all of them trying to drag Michiru down into a pit of self-contempt and dread. One voice, though, said otherwise. It recognized the logic in Shirou’s words and stubbornly held onto Michiru from the ledge of the pit.

She took a deep, shaky breath and leaned her face into Shirou’s palm. Its soothing warmth helped shush the voices. “I-I guess… you’re right…”

To her surprise, the corner of Shirou’s lips curled up into a small, reassuring smile. A few more tears slid down her cheeks, only to be wiped away by his thumb. Sniffling, she gave her friend a thankful look and then pressed herself back to his chest. This had been turning into a habit lately and, for someone as awkward and stiff as Shirou, he shockingly found himself yearning for such closeness more and more.

More shuffling and talking nearby told him Barbara had returned with the nurse, but he pretended not to notice anything, instead focusing on keeping Michiru calm as sedatives were injected into her IV.

* * *

The recovery sucked. Michiru spent the next few days constantly phasing in and out of consciousness while she was pumped full of medication that made her nauseous. The visits from her friends made it easier to berate, but only barely. Most of the time, Michiru felt like she was held hostage by the hospital staff. Her athletic body craved for exercise and fresh air, regardless of the injuries limiting her movements. It was frustrating.

Every day, the nurses would take her on walks around the lobby. It wasn’t her definition of exercise, but it was something, at least. Dr. Ikehara did stress that staying active would speed up the healing process and prevent the formation of blood clots. Michiru happily tolerated the horrible pains in her chest and back if that meant walking a little bit further in each session, though at times she’d overdo it and spend the next hours regretting everything.

On the sixth day since Michiru’s waking, Barbara and Shirou surprised her with a visit. She hadn’t seen either of them ever since she went through that panic attack, so their presence perked her curiosity. Admittedly, Michiru had been rather upset that Shirou didn’t come see her at all, but, considering the chaotic situation surrounding the university bombing, she was sure he had been way too busy. A quick look at the wolf only confirmed her suspicions.

Shirou looked like the embodiment of insomnia. His fur and clothes were badly ruffled up, and the bags under his eyes had deepened considerably. The way he kept shuffling and staring at nothing told Michiru he wasn’t fully there, even though he was sipping on a big cup of coffee. She frowned, wondering how he had come to that point in such a short window of time.

As expected, Shirou stayed behind to lean on the wall, like a bodyguard, while Barbara sat next to Michiru’s bed. They exchanged greetings and a few friendly words, until Dr. Ikehara entered the room shortly after. He was the one in charge of the tanuki’s care, a gray-haired man with dark eyes and pale skin. He held a clipboard in one hand and adjusted his glasses with the other. “Hello again, Miss Kagemori. We have wonderful news.” He started. “You’ll be sent back home this afternoon.”

The relief that washed over Michiru’s body was almost overwhelming. She let out a breath she didn’t realize she had been holding, then dramatically threw herself back on the mattress. “Finally! I’m free from this place!”

The doctor couldn’t hold back his chuckles at the sight. “I like your energy, miss.” He wrote something down on his clipboard and stepped closer to the bed. “But I’m still giving you a guide sheet listing the activities you’ll have to avoid at home, along with some prescriptions.”

Michiru couldn’t help but groan loudly in response, but before she could voice her complaints any further, Barbara cut in. “I also would like to have a word with you, Michiru. It’s about your blood tests.” She raised her hand to the doctor standing behind her, who handed over one of the sheets from his clipboard. “We’ve detected intense regenerative activity in your body… it looks like you’ve developed a healing factor.”

The room went silent. Shirou, who had been only half paying attention, now stared at the mayor in shock. Michiru mirrored his expression, her mouth gaping open. “A h-healing factor? You mean like Shirou’s??”

“It’s nowhere as efficient as Ogami’s. In fact, it’s very mild on comparison.” Ikehara pointed out. “However, it’s the main reason why you survived the blood loss.” He pointed his pen to Michiru’s chest for a moment. “That gunshot went through one of your lungs, but by the time we opened you up, the hole had fully closed. Since then we’ve been monitoring you for further regenerative hyperactivity. Besides noticing faster healing than normal on your smaller lacerations, we haven’t detected anything drastic. Our guess is that your healing factor is only strong enough to do that in sparce bursts.”

Stunned, Michiru exchanged silent looks with Shirou at the other side of the room. He had a conflicted expression on his face, probably struggling just as much as her to wrap his mind around the news. It came out of nowhere, after all. Still, Shirou chose to stay silent and kept sipping on his coffee, leaving all the questions up to Michiru. “How is this possible, though?”

“It seems to be related to your shape shifting abilities.” Barbara added. Her eyes were focused on the report she still held in one hand. “All beastmen are shape shifters to an extent, but the volatile nature of your cells allows you to change form without boundaries. That happens mainly through bursts of intense cellular mitosis, and, from what I’ve read, your body may be slowly learning to direct this same mechanism towards tissue regeneration as well.”

“Does that mean this factor might grow stronger over time?” Michiru didn’t know what to think of the implications of such thing. What if she ended up immortal, like Shirou? Was that even a possibility??

To her disappointment, the specialists in the room merely exchanged uncertain looks and sighed. “Nobody knows. This is an all-new territory in beastman history.” The mayor rested a hand on her shoulder. “Michiru, you are truly one of a kind. The best we can do is monitoring this discovery and speculate.”

As unsatisfying as the answer was, Michiru still nodded in understanding. “How about Nazuna? Her abilities are much more advanced than mine, so maybe she’s developed a healing factor too.”

“It’s possible. If she was in Anima City right now, we’d have reached out to her for more tests. Say, has she told you about experiencing anything like this?”

Michiru looked down at her hands and frowned. “Uh, not really. We don’t talk a lot when she’s out on tour, and lately we’ve been a bit… distant with each other, anyway.”

_I guess I’m all alone in this again…_

After exchanging a few more words, Barbara’s secretary, Koichi, opened the door and cut the conversation short. “I’m sorry to interrupt, but something of utmost importance has arisen and the mayor’s presence is required.” He explained politely. Barbara nodded with a tired sigh, obviously dreading whatever would occupy her time for the rest of the day, and then sat up from the chair.

“Well, this should be all, Michiru.” She said while dusting her clothes. “Dr. Ikehara will take care of the paperwork to approve your leave, and Ogami has brought you a change of clothes. Once it’s all ready, there will be a car at the door waiting for you.”

Michiru gave her a thankful smile and blushed. She was always so kind to her. “Thanks a lot.”

Koichi held the door open as Barbara and Dr. Ikehara left the room. Michiru originally thought Shirou would leave too and was pleasantly surprised when he didn’t budge from his spot at the wall. For a while, the wolfman simply stared at her with characteristic intense eyes, as if searching for something deep within her own teal irises. Usually, this would have made Michiru uneasy and suspicious, but seeing Shirou again after so long made her feel relief instead.

Even though he looked like an old, shaggy carpet right now.

“Is something wrong, Shirou?”

He didn’t reply. Something about his tired, ancient eyes told Michiru there was a lot in his mind. To be fair, there was a lot in hers too. It turned out there was still more to discover about her beastly body, whether for better or worse.

Once Shirou was finally done with his coffee, he gave the empty cup in his hand a slow, scowling glance before carelessly tossing it in the trash can. For the first time since he entered the room, Shirou distanced himself from the wall and walked towards Michiru’s bed.

“Always full of surprises, huh?” He grumbled once he got close enough. His voice was just as unreadable as his face, though it sounded a bit hoarser than usual. “I guess it makes sense for a trouble magnet like yourself to need a healing factor.”

Michiru merely shrugged and flashed a smirk. “That also means you won’t be getting rid of me so soon.”

Shirou’s lips curved into an amused grin, only to be replaced with something grimmer a second later. Sighing, he heavily sat down on the chair by her bed and slumped onto the mattress. His body language screamed stress and exhaustion as he combed his gloved fingers through the messy mop of fur on his head. Michiru knew he wanted to tell her something, but had no idea how to without letting his guard down. Shirou wasn’t one to open up easily, after all.

“You look rough.” She pointed out with an amused snort. Shirou gave Michiru a glare from the corner of an eye, but it had no effect on her. “I’m the one supposed to look like death, you know? Being stuck in this hospital and covered in bruises.”

The way Shirou’s body tensed up at her words wasn’t lost in Michiru’s eyes. He stayed in silence, staring at a nonexistent spot on the mattress as if on a trance. This behavior was already testing Michiru’s patience and she quickly found herself tempted to smack her friend’s head if that meant getting his attention.

It was then a small, but alluring idea sparked to life in Michiru’s head. She took a long look at the slouched male next to her, observing his stiff shoulders, sleep deprived eyes and the fingers digging into his scalp. Thankfully, Shirou was well within reach of her good hand. Michiru only hesitated for a moment before she shifted closer and gently pushed Shirou’s hand off his head.

Pale green eyes immediately shot up to stare into teal ones, both suspicious and questioning. Still, Shirou didn’t resist her actions nor voice a protest, which encouraged Michiru to continue. After removing the gloved hand, she buried her own into the silky fur between his ears and started a series of slow, firm strokes.

Shirou was baffled. _Was she… was she petting him?!_

Back in the mainland, Michiru’s parents never let her have a dog. Still, she had plenty of experience petting them from friendly encounters with strays and other people’s dogs. She recalled the spots they’d like scratched most, running her fingers behind one of Shirou’s ears and rubbing the skin underneath his pelt. After a while, she moved to the other ear, watching it twitch around in reaction to her caresses.

Michiru tried her best to ignore the incredulous stare Shirou was giving her the whole time, certain that she would chicken out otherwise. The stillness of his body wasn’t exactly reassuring, but at least he hadn’t pushed her hand away. That kept Michiru’s tiny flame of confidence just bright enough for her to proceed.

Soon, her fingers left Shirou’s ears and ran down to his jawline. She gave it long, slow strokes, digging her nails into the thick layers of fur to give the skin a thorough scratch. After only a few caresses, Shirou surprised Michiru by pressing his face into her touch. His alert eyes turned half-lidded as he gradually allowed himself to savor the sensations.

At some point, Shirou absentmindedly started tilting his head to guide Michiru’s hand to the best spots on his face. It was then Michiru’s insecurities vanished into thin air, replaced with giddiness and a big, excited smile. _He was enjoying it!_

Now it was Shirou’s turn to avoid her gaze. He quickly found himself relaxing under her masterful fingers, even letting a hum or two of appreciation escape his lips. In a way, this reminded Shirou of the rain’s powerful soothing spell. Each stroke on his thick wolf mane eased the stiffness on his shoulders and neck for the first time in days, as if a weight had been lifted. It felt _wonderful_.

Shirou breathed deeply and closed his eyes, no longer trying to resist Michiru’s touch. After a while, a soft thumping noise filled the once silent ambience of the hospital room. Shirou found that strange, especially when he heard giggling from the girl caressing him. He lazily blinked his eyes open and frowned in confusion at the sight of Michiru’s giant smirk… until his eyes widened in realization.

_His tail was wagging._

Shirou abruptly yanked his head out of Michiru’s hand with a jolt, straightening his body up so fast it was shocking that he didn’t pull a muscle. His cheeks burned under the white fur, and judging from the way Michiru kept giggling, he was sure she could see the redness.

“Shut it!” He growled, pinning his ears back.

“Oh, come on.” Michiru covered her mouth, trying in vain to hide the growing grin. “You have to admit that was really cute.”

It was hard to take Shirou’s scowl seriously when he looked so flustered. The wolfman stubbornly looked away and crossed his arms, grumbling something under his breath. Part of Michiru couldn’t help but feel bad for having put him in this situation, knowing how awkward Shirou usually felt. After stifling her giggles, she reached out again to touch his arm.

“Sorry, I was just trying to help you relax… you look so tense, Shirou. It’s obvious something has been bothering you.”

Shirou could see the sincerity in her eyes and kind smile. As always, Michiru was concerned for his wellbeing and just wanted to help… but speaking of his recent turmoil would require breaking through walls he spent centuries building around his heart. Groaning, he looked at his tanuki friend again, wondering whether doing such thing would be wise at all.

It was hard to resist those glimmering teal gems.

“… Michiru.” His voice was low and hesitant. Deep inside, Shirou hoped she wouldn’t hear it at all. “That night when you had a nightmare… you weren’t dreaming about hunters, were you? You said something about watching me die.”

The unexpected question left Michiru bewildered and wide-eyed. She opened her mouth, but no words came out. That night had been a while ago, so being hit with the memories again felt like being punched on the stomach. “I… I can’t remember it well, but… I think so.”

“I haven’t had a good night’s sleep since I brought you to the hospital, because I’ve been having those nightmares too…” He paused and looked pointedly at her. “About _you._ ”

“Oh.” The unexpected confession made Michiru feel a tingling warmth in her chest. Before she could say anything else, though, Shirou continued.

“I’ve been alive long enough to know when a blood puddle is too big, or when injuries can’t be recovered from.” His voice was lined with pain from countless memories. “You were very close to crossing the line when I found you, Michiru.”

Shirou took a deep breath and leaned onto the mattress again, resting his chin on top of crossed arms. Something inside Michiru ached as she pictured Shirou in the many bloodbaths he must have witnessed… or worse, that he caused himself.

“I’m sorry.” She spoke quietly. “I promised you I’d be careful, but I only got myself in danger again.”

Shirou shook his head. “It wasn’t your fault. You actually did a good job calling me and then protecting yourself.” The little compliment made Michiru’s heart flutter. “But if I arrived a minute later…”

His voice trailed off, but the grimace on his face told Michiru exactly what he meant. She placed a comforting hand on top of Shirou’s head, stroking his thick wolf mane again to soothe his troubled mind. Like before, he didn’t push it away and merely tolerated the caresses, which Michiru found good enough. The sensation of her fingers combing through the soft fur was very therapeutic to her anyway.

“You know…” She spoke softly after a while, never pausing the ministrations on Shirou’s fur. “Someone told me that you shouldn’t mope over things out of your control.”

Wolf ears perked up in realization when Shirou recognized his own words from a previous day. He looked at Michiru with a raised eyebrow, then let a glimmer of amusement flash on his eyes. “Clever.” He mumbled, exhaling a long breath that took away some of the stiffness on his shoulders. Michiru smiled in return.

It didn’t take long for the duo to lose themselves in their own thoughts. Michiru wondered what the past week must have been like for Shirou. She could almost see him in his study room at the Co-op, tossing and turning on the couch he used as a bed. His head would be too consumed by worry, while his eyes squeezed shut as if in pain. Michiru found herself wishing she had been there to sleep by his side in their newfound routine.

The idea of Shirou losing sleep over her wellbeing brought conflicting thoughts. On one hand, it made Michiru’s heart flutter with a strange kind of excitement. On the other, she felt guilty for having put him through such distress, especially now that she knew what his dreams entailed.

Michiru, grimaced. She knew _exactly_ what those dreams were like.

Fragmented memories of a long-gone nightmare returned to mind. The sickening sounds of cracking bones, tearing flesh and gurgling gasps filled Michiru’s ears, even if only for a moment, as she saw herself kneeling on a crimson puddle. Hot blood splattered on her face and body…

The hand in Shirou’s fur suddenly closed into a fist. His eyes, which had closed under the influence of Michiru’s caresses, opened again to cast her a curious glance. Curiosity immediately turned into concern when Shirou noticed the girl’s tight pupils, rapid breathing and tense body. Michiru had looked the same when she had that panic attack a week ago.

The moment was gone before he could remark on it.

Blinking, Michiru looked down and met Shirou’s pale green eyes. No words were exchanged, only a renewed, deeper sense of understanding. A new unspoken agreement, if you will.

 _Their burdens weren’t so different, after all_.

A small smile crept onto the tanuki’s lips as she resumed stroking Shirou’s head. This time, when his tail started wagging and thumping on his seat again, neither of them acknowledged it. Instead, they let the sound drag them into a comfortable, peaceful silence.


	5. Echoes of the Mind

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was such a pain to finish. I'm still rather unhappy with parts of it, but honestly, I just want it over with already.  
> So, well, good reading!... I hope...

Ever since the Anima City University bombing, the local police station had been busier than ever. Overburdened workers walked all over the place with paperwork in their hands, moving hurriedly like buzzing bees. In the background, the sound of ringing phones had long dominated the ambience as countless news outlets from the mainland called. Saying the attack had grabbed the humans’ attention would be the understatement of the century. Every day reporters would call and visit the building in hopes of poking their noses into the ongoing investigation, often draining the officers’ limited patience and free time.

Amidst all the chaos, a middle aged, weary looking man stood in a well-lit hall. Detective Yuji Tachiki scratched his bushy mustache before opening his mouth in a tired yawn, then glanced at the officer standing by his side. A man around his thirties with short blond hair. “I swear this whole mess will turn my fur white.” He grumbled.

“It’s either that or losing it all.” The younger man snorted, to which Yuji grimaced.

“Don’t even joke about it.”

Before they could continue, four sets of heavy footsteps echoed across the hallway and immediately stole their attention. Two large guards, a buffalo and a rhino, were marching in their direction with a shackled prisoner in their hold. A third guard, this time a lion, walked behind the trio with a clawed hand resting on his holster, ready to act in case their captive tried any funny stunts.

Yuji’s tired visage was immediately washed away and replaced with a serious, stoic look. He gave the guards a respectful nod before turning his attention to the man held between them. “Why, look who decided to join us again.” He said in a humorless voice. “Will you cooperate this time?”

The prisoner, a man with tan skin, dark hair and hazel eyes, merely sneered in response. He was clad in customary bright orange garbs that looked a bit too baggy on his lean body, but the shock collar and bulky shackles on his wrists made it clear he wasn’t someone to be underestimated. “How long will it take for you fuckers to get it? My lips are sealed!” He declared smugly.

Yuji rolled his eyes and made a gesture for the guards to follow along with his companion. They walked further down the hallway and to an open door labelled _Interrogation Room_. The room was small and oddly bland. Its only decorations were a painting, a wall clock, and a metal table sitting in the middle alongside three chairs. A large, mirrored window allowed anyone in the hallway to peek into the room. As the group entered, two guards stood on each side of the door, and the tiger harshly shoved the criminal on one of the chairs. Yuji and his partner sat on the opposite side of the table.

A yellow folder was produced from the detective’s coat. “Alright, first of all…” Yuji pulled out a few documents from the folder and spread them out on the table surface. It was a collection of driver licenses, ID cards and passports under a variety of different names. All of them displayed photos of the criminal sitting before their eyes, whether in human or cougar form. “We’ve made quite a few discoveries since we last talked. For one, you and your friends aren’t from the mainland, are you?” The detective narrowed his eyes. “Mr. Kurt Esser.”

Hazel eyes widened in surprise, then glimmered with mirth as their owner nonchalantly leaned back on his seat. “Color me shocked, you’re smarter than you look.” He flashed a toothy, taunting grin that never failed to get under Yuji’s skin. “I’d clap, but y’know…” He raised his arms, showing the bulky metal shackles that encapsulated both wrists. “I can’t right now.”

Yuji had to resist the urge to give the criminal the satisfaction of a glare. “We’ve also found that your name is quite popular in the streets, Kurt.” His voice suddenly took on a cynical tone as he pulled a several photos from the folder. “In fact, you seem to be a celebrity here in the station. Four unsolved murders from the past few months were just tied to you as the main suspect, plus three accounts of missing persons.” There was a sharp _bam_ in the air when Yuji smacked the photos in front of Kurt. Each of them depicted brutal crime scenes. “All humans.”

Kurt showed no emotion as he quietly observed the images. The victims in the photos were so disfigured by bruises, wounds and blood, you could barely tell they were once human beings. In their undignified deaths, their identities had been reduced to macabre lumps of flesh.

Noting his lack of shock, Yuji continued. “I bet if we sent you off to the mainland to be judged under human law, a lot of people would be happy to get their hands on you.”

Now _that_ grabbed Kurt’s attention. His smug, unbreakable visage faltered only for a millisecond, and the detective _saw_ it.

“So what?” Kurt scoffed a little too quickly. “My people are everywhere in the mainland. I bet they’d bail me out, no problem! Humans are greedy little shits, after all.”

“Are you really sure?” The mustached man raised a skeptical eyebrow. “Because you don’t look like an important gang member to me. If anything, you look like a disposable pawn they wouldn’t think twice about killing off if needed.”

“Shut up!” Kurt gritted his teeth and, for the briefest of moments, showed signs of morphing into his cougar form. Before his tan skin could be covered in fur, however, the thick collar on his neck beeped, followed by _crackle_ of electricity that made the criminal’s body jolt. He cried out in pain, which brought smirks to the faces of all the officers in the room. “My loyalty is and will always be with them, no matter what!”

“Even if that means dying for it?”

“ _Yes._ ” Kurt’s voice seethed with raw, unbridled hatred. “Because unlike you fuckers, I refuse to betray my own race. I will die an honorable death if that means helping rid this world of humankind.”

A deep, feral scowl twisted Yuji’s face, and, suddenly, he was no longer the weary looking, middle aged man everyone was acquainted with. He was a snarling dog showing off his fangs in a silent invitation for battle. Thankfully, decades of experience dealing with criminals had long taught him to keep such urges at bay in order to proceed with the interrogation.

“How can you call yourself honorable after cornering and attacking a vulnerable young lady, like a coward?” He growled.

“ _Vulnerable_? Did you see what that bitch did to my partners?!” Kurt snorted. “She’s a monster, an ungodly, manmade freak that shouldn’t be walking among us. How can you call yourself a beastman and be ok with that?”

“Well, I can ask the same to you.” Yuji crossed his arms with a burning glare. “When you bombed the university, most of the injured were beastmen. Hell, four of the dead were beastmen too. How can sit there, talking about defending our race while actively harming your own kind?”

The prisoner rolled his eyes and shrugged dismissively. “Little sacrifices are needed in the grand scheme of things. I’ll gladly explode another university if that means getting my hands on that bitch again.”

A thick, dead silence settled after Kurt’s cruel words. Yuji’s partner, who had been quietly writing down the conversation, broke the lead of his pencil on the paper upon hearing that final sentence. Like the guards by the open door, his jaw was gaping open.

Scowling, Yuji felt a strong wave of _déjà-vu_ rattling his skull. He recalled the previous times they all had come to this same room and sat on those same chairs, dancing around topics for hours without any conclusive findings besides the confirmed existence of an anti-human group. Judging from Kurt’s voice in these last words, it was clear he would never give in. The foundations of his mindset refused to budge, instead only consuming his resolve further like a voracious parasite.

Times like this demanded a different approach.

The dog detective exchanged a knowing look with his partner, who nodded somberly. He quickly stood up and helped gather all the documents and photos into the folder, while Yuji turned back to the criminal in question.

“I think I’ve heard enough for the day.” His voice was laced with internalized anger. Kurt smirked with satisfaction, knowing he had won yet again. However, part of him found it rather odd, considering the interrogation had barely lasted ten minutes. Even weirder were Yuji’s last words before he headed for the door. “Good luck, Mr. Esser. You’ll need it.”

A look of sheer puzzlement washed over the criminal’s features, especially as he watched everyone else leaving the room in absolute silence. None of the guards bothered to pull him up and guide him outside. It was as if he had been forgotten.

_Wait. Why were there cops grouping in the hallway?_

He could see a couple of rustling officers standing by the door, whispering and snickering among themselves like little children sharing secrets. They’d look straight at Kurt with a mix of pity and mischief, then turn away to exchange hushed words. Yuji had to nudge his way through the small crowd, telling them to watch from to the mirrored window instead of the door.

_Watch what??_

The buffalo guard flashed Kurt a wide smirk before he closed the door behind him. It was then a chilling bolt of pure dread ran down the prisoner’s spine. Now everything made sense.

There, leaning on the wall previously hidden behind the door, was none other than Shirou Ogami.

The wolf’s face was impassive, bearing no hints of emotion on his hardened, stoic features. His very presence seemed to make the room temperature drop from sheer tension alone. What unnerved Kurt the most was the eerie stillness of his body. It reminded the criminal of a watchful gargoyle whose ominous stare, ever so petrifying, could induce the most ghoulish of horrors.

Kurt knew very well who Shirou was. The wolfman’s reputation in the streets put fear even in the toughest gang leaders and cartel bosses. Preceding the bombing, during his time researching Michiru Kagemori, he learned about her connection with him and was repeatedly instructed to avoid Shirou at all costs.

Well, today wasn’t his lucky day.

“Say that again.”

The raspy growl cut through the room like knives being thrown at Kurt. He couldn’t help but flinch. In an attempt not to show weakness, he quickly recomposed himself and put on an unfazed expression.

“What?”

“Say it.” Shirou’s canine muzzle twisted into a vicious snarl that exposed his sharp fangs. “Call her a _bitch_ again. I dare you.”

Of course, Kurt would never back down from a challenge. He didn’t think twice before giving his enemy a wide, infuriatingly smug grin. “Bi-“

All it took was the blink of an eye for Shirou to vanish from his spot. Before Kurt could understand what just happened, a fist had collided with his face in a blinding explosion of pain and motion. His head whipped to the side and dragged the rest of his body off the chair, resulting in a less than dignified fall that bit at the man’s ribs. Grunting, Kurt saw the world spin around him in a mess of colorful blurs.

“You know, I spent my whole life thinking I’d never find more vile, pathetic creatures than humans who hunt beastmen.” There was an unsettling calmness to Shirou’s movements as he removed his trench coat and placed it on the table. His face was consumed by disdain. “I stand corrected.”

Pushing himself up was difficult with Kurt’s arms shackled together, especially when his head was still overwhelmed by whiplash. He had no time to recover his footing, however. A clawed hand shot out and grabbed him by the collar of his orange jumper, forcefully yanking his body off the ground. Kurt yelped and thrashed, only to have his face punched again.

“Listen here, you little shit.” Shirou slammed the criminal’s back on the closest wall, cracking it under the pressure. With Kurt’s vision mostly back to normal, he found himself almost nose to nose with the seething wolf. “You’re going to tell me _everything_ you know about that anti-human group of yours, including the plans for targeting Michiru Kagemori.”

Kurt narrowed his eyes defiantly. “And if I don’t?”

Shirou’s fierce stare didn’t waver, and, for a split second, Kurt could swear he caught a faint glow in those pale green irises. “I don’t recall saying any ‘ _ifs_ ’.” He hissed, tightening his grip on the thug’s collar. However, Kurt still didn’t seem fazed. He flashed him an arrogant grin and laughed.

“Oh c’mon.” He snickered. “You think it’s that easy to intimidate me? I know how valuable my intel is to you guys.” He gestured towards the mirrored window, where the cops were probably still gathered as if watching a big sportive event on TV. “Punch me one too many times, and those cops will come to the rescue!”

The bold, smug attitude made Shirou raise an eyebrow. He released his collar and stepped back, an action that, at first, made Kurt assume he had won yet again… but then he realized Shirou had only released him to remove his gloves.

“You really think you’re that important?” Shirou scoffed, his voice dripping with spite. “Did you forget we still have your partners locked downstairs? If anything, you’d serve as a great example for them to cooperate if I killed you right here, right now.”

“Maybe I know more than them.” Kurt was quick to add in a challenging tone, smirking. “I was assigned as their leader, after all.”

“Well, in that case.” A flash of silver crossed Kurt’s eyes, followed by a thunderous slam. He felt his body hit the ground again, this time much harder. When he looked up, Shirou was standing above him with a folded metal chair in his hand. “Congratulations. You’ll have all my attention for the next few hours.”

Kurt grunted, feeling something warm and wet running down his nose. The coppery taste told him it was blood. “You son of a-” A sharp gasp interrupted his words when Kurt felt Shirou kick his side. The red-hot pain clouding his senses hinted to two broken ribs.

“You aren’t the one in control here.” Shirou’s cold, snarling voice sent chills down the criminal’s spine, for once breaking his smug façade and inciting fear deep in his stomach. He refused to look up at the wolfman, but he was forced to nonetheless when Shirou’s clawed hands closed around his neck. “And I have news for you: if you think a cop can save you from me, you’re _very_ wrong.” Intense pools of green pierced straight into hazel. “I guarantee that if I wanted you dead, nobody would be able to save you from my claws. Not even if _everyone_ in this building stood between you and I.”

Even with the tight grip on his throat and burning pain on his ribs, Kurt still managed to mutter a stubborn reply. “It will take a lot more than that to convince me to spill the beans, buddy.”

To Kurt’s dismay, the fanged grin that met him looked _sadistic_.

“We shouldn’t waste any more time, then.”

* * *

Shirou had to admit, the guy was tough. Even after an hour and a half of constant beating from the wolf god himself, Kurt refused to say anything. His loyalty to that group was clearly not something to be undermined.

By now, he stood before the shell of a what used to be a handsome male. Kurt’s smug visage had turned into something closer to the faces of the humans he had brutally murdered. His left eye was swollen shut, with a dark bruise that extended down to his cheek. Blood was smeared all over his face, coming from his broken nose as well as the multiple cuts marring his lips.

The rest of his body wasn’t much better. Although the orange jumper covered the damage, the skin underneath was a mess of purples, reds and blues. Spots where ribs had been broken, blood vessels were ruptured, and muscle tissue tore apart. Not even Kurt’s fingers were spared from the wolf’s rage. At some point the front of the shackles removed to expose his hands, and his fingers were broken one by one.

As Shirou leaned back on the table and stared at the results of his merciless interrogation, he couldn’t help but wonder what Michiru would think if she saw him now. She had always been very vocal about her hate for unnecessary violence, and the image of her disappointed, teary face bothered Shirou more than he’d like to admit.

He recalled that night when Anima City was at the verge of destruction by countless beastmen who had succumbed to Nirvasyl Syndrome. Shirou, having transformed into his Silver Wolf form, kept a vicious three-headed Alan immobilized under his very claws. He was ready to blast the monstrous creature with his godly howl, intent on leaving nothing to be regenerated. The sight of raw, unbridled fear in his enemy’s eyes only served to feed the hatred bubbling in Shirou’s glowing chest, bringing forth the powerful energy he needed to slay that disgraceful beast...

But then, from the corner of an eye, Shirou saw Michiru standing nearby. Her eyes carried the exact same fear he had seen in Alan’s, a sight that stifled the blue flames growing within his jaws in the matter of a millisecond. He would never have forgiven himself if Michiru witnessed him at his most violent and bloodthirsty, not after their relationship had made so much progress by then.

Even though he chose not to kill Alan in the end, Michiru’s horrified face would haunt his nightmares for years after that night.

Frowning, Shirou shook his head to clear such memories and wondered when he had grown so soft. That tanuki really had a way to change people around her, and not even a powerful god like Shirou was immune to her influence.

A pained moan snapped the wolfman out of his thoughts, and Shirou stared down at the pitiful male crumpled by his shoes once again. Kurt had gathered enough strength to drag himself to the nearest wall and lean his back on it. He coughed hoarsely, splattering blood all over his clothes. Shirou wrinkled his nose in disgust.

_Better finish this once and for all._

Shirou loudly pushed himself away from the table and stepped over the pathetic excuse of a beastman slumped on the wall. “My patience is running low.” He growled, to which Kurt replied with another cough. His good eye opened and glared up at his aggressor. “I will give you one last chance to tell me everything before I have to resort to truly… _drastic_ measures.”

“Like what, killing me?” Kurt’s voice was broken and raspy, yet it still held a hint of arrogance in his words. He rolled his remaining good eye and spit on Shirou’s shoe, staining it with blood.

Shirou scowled. “Killing would be a mercy.” Suddenly, his claws were wrapped on the thug’s throat again. They squeezed hard enough to force a gasp out of his lips. “And I have no mercy to spare with your kind.”

“ _My kind?!_ ” He half scoffed, half wheezed. “My kind is _your_ kind! Where’s the pride in your beastman roots? Are you really willing to throw it all away to protect some human girl??”

“You are the one who threw it all away.” Shirou snarled, his muzzle twisting into a braided pattern of muscles. “Look how low you’ve stooped. You shame us, beastmen, by becoming the very terrorists we are fighting!”

Shirou shifted his grip on Kurt’s throat, pushing the shock collar up until his palm took its place. Kurt opened his mouth to make another taunting remark, but the wolf was quick to interrupt it by pressing hard on his Adam’s Apple. The painful pressure made Kurt push his tongue out with a guttural gasp.

“I’m done talking.” Suddenly, a faint white glow came to life where Shirou’s fingers pressed on skin. Kurt’s pupils tightened into pinholes as he felt an unbearable heat surrounding his neck.

The shrieks of pain that burst from Kurt’s lips echoed throughout the whole building floor.

The cops watching from the window couldn’t help but grimace and cower, all while trying their hardest to see what exactly Shirou was doing to the criminal. He had his back turned to the window and crouched over Kurt’s body, which obscured everyone’s view. In fact, it was impossible to tell what happened even with the hidden camera in the room, given Shirou had positioned himself in a way that hid his hands behind the table.

“S-Should we stop him?” The youngest of the cops, a dark-haired male, meekly asked. The others shared uncertain looks before eyeing Yuji, waiting for his input. “He isn’t going to kill him, is he?”

The pause preceding the dog detective’s answer lasted way longer than any of them would have liked. “No. Ogami knows better than that.” He stiffly crossed his arms with a deep breath. For a moment, Yuji wondered if he was just trying to convince himself. “Kurt has essential intel we can’t afford losing right now.”

“This isn’t right, though.” Another rookie, this time a red-headed woman, piped in with a frown. She had just joined the crowd, wincing every time a new gurgle or wail boomed through the window speaker. The expression on her features displayed a mix of revolt and sorrow. “How can you all just stand here and watch, as if this was some sort of spectacle?! What he is doing is torture!”

To her surprise, most of the cops around her merely chuckled among themselves, not taking the female seriously at all. Yuji sighed. “Look, kid, we only ask for Ogami’s… _help_ with interrogations in dire circumstances. The anti-human front is an extremely dangerous group that just bombed a building and killed seven people, and Kurt seems to be involved in many other murders too. We need to extract information from him as soon as possible in order to protect this city.”

“Even if that means using brute force, huh?” The dark-haired man spoke again, flinching as another scream escaped the room walls.

Yuji shrugged. “Sometimes it’s the only way to ensure the safety of Anima City. If there’s anyone who can finally make Kurt talk, it’s Ogami.” His voice sounded tired and calculated, as this was a mantra he repeated to himself often. The heavy brows and stiff shoulders told the two rookies he carried a heavy burden from witnessing such horrors during his career. Yuji was about continue when Kurt’s voice cut through the speaker.

“STOP!” His words were strangled, as if he was drowning in liquid agony. “I’LL TALK, I’LL TALK! I PROMISE!!”

The officers turned to the window again and watched Shirou slowly lean away from the criminal. He was still crouched over him with a murderous scowl on his canine face, ready to resume the torture at any moment. The resemblance to a vulture patiently awaiting its prey’s timely death was nothing but uncanny. Kurt, now free from the wolfman’s grip, slid down the wall until he was pitifully sprawled on the floor again, panting and gurgling undecipherable words.

Without Shirou’s hand on the way, Kurt’s shock collar slid back in place and hid the smoking wound. The feeling of leather rubbing on the burned, raw skin underneath made him whimper. He had no idea how Shirou had burned him with his bare hands, maybe there was a hidden gadget in his sleeve… regardless, he was now officially terrified of the male standing before his crumpled form. His ancient eyes were pools of cold hatred unlike anything Kurt had ever seen.

Shirou only gave him a minute to catch his breath before roughly grabbing Kurt by the back of his orange jumpsuit and throwing him on the nearest chair. He paid no attention to his cries of pain, turning to the mirrored window instead and crossing his arms. A curt nod was Yuji’s cue to walk back inside the room with his partner in tow. The ghastly sight of Kurt’s bruised face sent a chill through his bones, especially when he stood next to the very person who caused such damage.

Sometimes it was easy to forget Shirou was one of the _good guys_.

“I see Mr. Ogami has _convinced_ you to speak, huh?” The dog said in a mix of scoff and coldhearted amusement. This time, Kurt had no smug grins nor snarky replies to offer Yuji. He looked like a broken man, having had his pride brutally beaten and ripped apart by the claws of a merciless wolf.

Yuji’s taunt flew over Kurt’s head, given his focus was exclusively directed at Shirou right now. He had distanced himself to lean on the wall with his characteristic impassive visage and intense, relentless eyes. Kurt thought about yelling to the detective about what Shirou had just done to his neck, but the words died in his mouth as soon as his gaze met the wolf’s.

He could swear his eyes glowed again for a split second.

Canine lips parted to expose sharp white teeth, accompanied by a low, rumbling growl. Kurt gulped and cowered in his seat. Shirou’s relentless stare spoke a very clear threat: _say a word and you’re dead._

The throbbing burn on Kurt’s throat only emphasized the unspoken message. Maybe he could bring it up later, when Shirou was no longer around to beat him up and then wipe the blood off the floor with his corpse. The mental image alone was enough to make his legs shake like twigs in the wind. For now, Kurt’s priority was telling the officers as much information as possible, and maybe even distract them away from the matter at hand with useless ramblings. It was worth a shot.

“Look, w-we call ourselves the _Beastman Liberation Front_.” His voice was hoarse and frail, interrupted by bloody coughs that painted the table red. The sight was pitiful, and Kurt hated it. “Beastmen from all over the world come to us for refuge from humans.”

“Then why attack Anima City?” Yuji scowled as he unfolded a chair and sat down, followed by his partner. “We’ve been welcoming and protecting beastmen for fifteen years now, shouldn’t we be on the same side??”

“NO!” Kurt tried to growl, but it resulted in more coughs instead. “You fuckers sold yourselves to the enemy by allowing humans in this city. This town isn’t a haven for beastmen anymore, it’s a ticking bomb! We can’t let you disgrace our kind any longer!”

“You’re right.” The dog detective growled back. “This is no longer a haven for beastmen, but only because _you_ are endangering us. Do you have any idea of what the media is saying about us in the mainland?” He pulled a smartphone from his coat, tapped something on it and then pushed it towards Kurt. The screen showed a search engine list of results for “Anima City Bombing”. As Yuji slid his finger across the screen to scroll down, Kurt read each sensationalized article title with an impassive face.

_University bombing exposes truth about the Beastman Threat._

_Terrorists confirmed to be beastmen in bombing that killed three humans._

_Anima City calamity: are beastmen are a danger both to humans and themselves?_

_Anti-Beastmen rally protests in name of humans killed in Anima City._

“Thanks to you, the anti-beastmen front has been gathering more support.” Yuji twisted his muzzle into a snarl. “Is that what you wanted? More humans hunting us down??”

“We want humans far away from beastmen!” Kurt seethed through bloody teeth. For a moment, he forgot about Shirou’s presence in the room and replaced fear with anger. “We were never meant to mix with that filthy scum, and if takes blowing up a whole city to keep us apart, so be it! I don’t give a fuck about what humans think of us, because our kind will be much safer on the long run!”

“Safer?! You have to be kidding!” Yuji’s partner scoffed, looking up from the notebook he had been writing on. He pointed his pen to the criminal in an accusatory manner. “All you’ll accomplish is giving humans more reasons to kill us.”

“So what, dumbass? Do you really think humans will stop at a peace treaty?” The hesitant silence that followed gave Kurt a boost of confidence. He felt his lips curl up in a smirk again, even though it was small and marred by bloody cuts. “Their kind feeds on cruelty. Humans love the suffering of others, even themselves. You’re an idiot if you think they’d ever accept us. Any attempt to is just a front hiding their own interests.”

“How can you be so sure? Are you a human specialist now?” Yuji snorted and rolled his eyes, which earned him a glare from Kurt’s good eye.

“History is my proof! Every time humans and beastmen lived together, it ended up badly. Villages turned on our kind as soon as rumors of witchcraft popped up. Beastmen got accused of killing and eating cattle whenever they went missing. Hell, the first thing humans did when the plague hit them was blaming beastmen! The list goes on, and it’s only a matter of time for them to stab our backs again!”

“And you think murdering humans and fueling their hateful ways is the answer to all that?” The detective raised a skeptical eyebrow. “Maybe the reason this always failed is because we’ve been doing the same mistakes over and over again. Mayor Rose believes in not repeating history, why not give her a chance?”

“Because Anima City isn’t doing anything new, it’s still repeating history.” A glint of mischief flashed in Kurt’s eye, giving his grotesque face an eerie look. “Or did you forget about Nirvasyl?”

A vicious snarl cut through the air, followed by a thunderous slam of a hand on the table. Kurt almost jumped off his chair when Shirou all but materialized in front of him with a fist closed on his jumpsuit collar. His muzzle was twisted into a deadly sneer that completely bared his sharp teeth.

“Enough!!” His voice, laced with scorn, made everyone in the room freeze in shock. Kurt’s momentaneous burst of arrogance instantly vanished into thin air, leaving behind the cold emptiness of raw fear. Blood drained away from Kurt’s skin, and suddenly he felt hyper aware of the aching wounds and bruises all over his body. “I’m done listening to your ramblings! I don’t give a damn about what you and your gang of lunatics think about the world. We are here to get useful information, and you have yet to give me a good reason to spare your life!”

Kurt whimpered in pain when he was shoved back on the chair with enough force to nearly flip it over. Shirou’s outburst was a harsh reminder that the wolfman was still the one in control and wouldn’t hesitate before putting him through another beating session. Trembling, the criminal raised his shackled hands to cover his face.

“Fine! Please, don’t hurt me!!” He all but squeaked a little too fast. Kurt could hear an amused snort come from Yuji. Any shred of dignity was long gone by now. “I-I’m a mercenary for the BLF, okay? They have deals with the cartel and p-pay us to help them get rid of… y’know, _troublemakers_.”

His words grabbed everyone’s attention. Yuji gave Shirou a thankful, albeit slightly shaken nod before turning to Kurt again. “The cartel? You mean Flip’s?”

“No, the new cartel in town. The guys behind that new drug going around… Murphy.”

Shirou thought back to the busy weeks he spent helping the police investigate and seize multiple shipments of a new drug being introduced to Anima City. The drug was called Morphicotrol, but it was best known on the streets as Murphy. Its growing circulation was still a problem and the criminals behind it were only becoming harder to catch. The thought of a terrorist group being involved with a drug cartel was beyond concerning.

“Were the humans you killed some of the ‘troublemakers’?” The dog asked, making quotation marks in the air. His answer was a nervous nod.

“But why would your people involve themselves with a cartel?” Shirou spoke in a slow, thoughtful tone. His eyes narrowed, and Kurt squirmed under his glare. “And why are _you_ doing their dirty business?”

“I d-don’t know the details, but I heard it has to do with, uh, covering tracks?” Kurt shrugged in uncertainty, trying to be as vague about it as possible. “We cover their tracks, and they cover ours. The BLF doesn’t want to be noticed.”

“Well, you did a really shitty job. That bomb brought all the attention to you.” Yuji’s partner scoffed and turned the page on his notebook.

“We weren’t supposed to be caught. The idea was putting fear into Anima City and killing that b-” Kurt cut himself off in the nick of time, considering the murderous look he had earned from Shirou. “-I mean, that girl. We want to show the mayor her integration bullshit won’t be tolerated.”

There it was. Another attempt at turning the officers’ attention away from important information. Shirou narrowed his eyes and scrutinized the man before him with a tactical stare, as if turning him inside out to reveal his deepest thoughts. Kurt noticed that, but quickly looked away.

Meanwhile, every fiber in Kurt’s bones screamed at him to keep his mouth shut, to not reveal anything truly important. The very ideals that sculpted his character were on the line, and it _hurt_. The burning ache on his throat paled in comparison to the hole being gouged into his pride. If his foundations crumbled, Kurt was sure he would be cracked beyond repair.

To his dismay, he wasn’t fooling anyone.

“You said it was about covering tracks, but what tracks does the BLF need covering, exactly?” Shirou stepped closer to Kurt with crossed his arms. His stoic features were impossible to ignore, and not by lack of trying.

There were easy ways to tell when someone planned to lie, such as the manner with which Kurt stiffened dramatically at the question, bit down on his injured lip and then averted his good eye away. It was obvious he was trying to come up with a lie on the spot, especially to Shirou, who could smell the telltale stench of fear skyrocketing in the room.

Before Kurt said a word, the wolfman interrupted him with another rumbling growl. “Don’t even think about it.” His mane bristled, giving Shirou’s figure a more intimidating, ruffled silhouette. “You think you can get away with lying?” Shirou tapped his nose. “I know the smell of a liar, and right now you reek of it. If I find out you’ve been telling lies to us, that thing on your neck will be your least concern.”

To the officers, Shirou seemed to be talking about the shock collar. However, Kurt knew he was addressing the burn wound underneath. He recalled the searing pain engulfing his neck while Shirou looked down at him with bloodthirsty eyes, an image worthy a thousand nightmares. Gritting his teeth, Kurt couldn’t help but grimace once he realized he’d have to bite back his beastman pride and betray the group he had so passionately declared allegiance to.

With a defeated sigh, Kurt slumped his shoulders down and gave himself away to the shame flooding his senses. “Sometimes… the higher ups need humans.” He mumbled, as if wishing nobody else would hear it. Detective Yuji’s wide-eyed reaction proved otherwise.

“What do you mean by _needing_ humans?”

“Look, I-I don’t know, that’s top-secret stuff.” There was another glimpse of canine teeth, and Kurt immediately covered his head with shackled arms. “I’m not lying, okay?! Only the higher ups know these things!”

“And what do you _know_ , then? I can tell you’re hiding something.” Shirou pressed further, to which Kurt groaned exasperatedly.

“When humans don’t pay their debts with the cartel, they send us to get rid of them. Most of the time it’s just killing, but sometimes the BLF tells us to _collect_ them. We knock them out, pack them up and send them on trucks.”

Yuji exchanged uneasy looks with his partner for a moment. “That sounds like slavery.”

“Maybe it is, who knows.” Kurt looked briefly at Shirou and quickly followed with a shaken voice. “I definitely don’t! I swear, man!”

Yuji rubbed his brow with a perplexed expression. When he spoke up, his voice was somber and heavy, just like the atmosphere around them. “That would explain all the missing humans.”

“What about beastmen?”

Kurt flinched at Shirou’s curt, sharp question. It felt like a knife impaling his chest. When he turned to the wolfman, he tried his best to twist his bruised face into a dumbfounded visage. “W-What?”

But Shirou wasn’t buying it.

“Don’t play dumb with me. That’s why you’re being so dodgy, isn’t it?” His muzzle twisted into an intricate scowl. “That drug is aimed at both humans _and_ beastmen, and as far as I know, humans are still a minority in this city.” Shirou heavily placed his right hand on the table and leaned closer, practically looming over the criminal as an ominous shadow. “Tell me, then… what happens to the beastmen troublemakers?”

Kurt opened and closed his mouth several times, but the words formed a ball in his throat, and he felt the urge to gulp the imaginary blockage. Meeting Shirou’s eyes was painful at this point, so he turned his face away with gritted teeth.

He knew what Shirou expected him to answer, but he didn’t dare voice it out loud. Doing so would be painful, as it was the only thing able to shake his foundations. The officers, who were watching his reactions closely, could practically see the conflict buzzing inside Kurt’s head.

“It looks like you touched a sore spot, Ogami.” Yuji leaned back on his chair and crossed his arms. “Spit it out already. It’s obvious this has been eating you up.”

“Shut up!” Kurt’s bloodied face twisted into something almost feral looking, which only confirmed his fault on the matter.

Shirou merely raised an eyebrow at the sight. “I’m not going anywhere until you say it.” To make his point, leaned back on the edge on the table, making himself as comfortable as possible. He pointed towards Kurt and scoffed. “How can this group of yours be any good? Look at what they turned you into.”

“You don’t understand!” A crack in his voice told Shirou he was digging deeper. “Those beastmen were lowlife junkies that don’t amount to anything. Even worse are those who defend the human integration! Being useful for BLF is the best favor they can do for our society.”

Yuji smirked. “Shirou was right then. You capture and send beastmen away to BLF as well as humans.”

Kurt’s eye widened, realizing he had blurted out too much. “W-Wait, that’s not-… _fuck_!”

“So much for a defender of beastmen, huh?” Yuji said with spite in his voice. “You say you’re aiming for a safer world for beastmen while culling them like pigs.”

“Sacrifices are needed in the name of progress!!” Kurt snapped, his voice sounding closer to a roar than a yell. For a brief second, Shirou caught the glimpse of feline fangs and slitting pupils, but then there was a crackle in the air and Kurt cried out in pain. His body convulsed from the shock until he was left panting and miserable.

Yuji, his partner and Shirou all watched the man before their eyes with impassive features, not sparing a single droplet of sympathy for the cowering excuse of a beastman. After a thick, somber pause, Shirou finally spoke up.

“Nobody asked to be your sacrifice. You murder your own kind under the guise of justice and don’t even think twice before targeting the innocent.” He growled in disgust. “You’re a shame to all beastmen.”

Suddenly, a wicked glint shone in Kurt’s hazel eye. He looked straight at Shirou with a furor which he thought had been broken, which caught the wolf off guard. “Look who’s talking.” His words dripped with venom. “Shirou Ogami. The killer wolf of the streets, whose reputation was built on a body count.” A sour, bloody smile stretched over his lips. “It takes a murderer to know another.”

Shirou’s eyes widened. His own words came back to him like a boomerang, and the epiphany that followed left him mortified and stunned. For the first time throughout the whole interrogation, he found himself speechless. _Kurt was right._

A fickle memory came to life, the face of a tanuki looking up at him with hopeful teal eyes. Her voice felt distant, yet the words still punched him in the stomach.

_Promise me you won’t kill anymore._

_Please, Shirou… how can you call yourself a protector when you don’t think twice about killing?_

He thought back to the night they met. Michiru watched him mercilessly punching and mauling the trio of saboteurs, her horrified gaze never wavering away. She was bold enough to intervene, but if it weren’t for her, Shirou would undoubtedly have beaten those beastmen to death… as he had done many, many times.

A thousand years was too long to keep track of the bodies.

What would Michiru think if she saw him now, having tortured a fellow beastmen into submission? Would she be disgusted by his unnecessary violence? Would she feel scared of him just like the criminals he fought?

Shirou gritted his teeth and took a deep breath. That wasn’t the time for such thoughts.

“You know nothing about me.” He hissed. “But I do know the kind of person you are. You’re a weak-minded thug so desperate for a purpose in life, you sold yourself to a bunch of radicals. You let them fill your head with propaganda and turn you into a measly pawn to do their dirty work.” His words seemed to wipe that smile off Kurt’s face. “You’re pathetic. Far more than any ‘lowlife junkie’ you’ve killed.”

Shirou walked around the table and reached for the gloves and trench coat still placed on it, leaving behind a stunned Kurt. His skin, which was already covered in bruises, now took on a red shade as well in display of his rising anger. Yuji huffed at the sight. “In the end, you’ve become an even bigger menace to beastmen than humans.”

“That’s not true! The ends justify the me-”

“Keep telling yourself that.” The green glare that found Kurt’s eye was enough to interrupt his reply. Once again, Shirou’s deep olive pools were swirling pits of scorn, sending the shackled man a myriad of silent threats that made his bones shiver.

Once Shirou was done putting on his long coat, he quietly morphed into his human form and sent Yuji a tired, somber gaze. “I think I’m done here. You two can take care of the rest… but if our guest causes any trouble again, I’m only a call away.” He added the last part while looking pointedly at Kurt, who instinctively turned his face away.

Yuji and his partner gave Shirou a grateful nod. “Thank you, Ogami. Don’t worry about writing a report, we got that covered.”

A sigh of relief escaped Shirou’s lips. Reports were easily the most tedious part of his job and he’d take any opportunity to skip them. After returning Yuji’s nod, he made his way out of the interrogation room. The crowd of policemen was still by the window, filling the ambience of the hallway with hushed whispers when the white-haired man opened the door and walked away. He couldn’t help but roll his eyes at the unwanted attention.

There was something else bothering him, however. A light prickle on the back of his mind, not unlike the sensation of being watched. He looked around, but saw nobody suspicious in the hallway. Only a few guards changing turns at the door leading to the cells.

Suddenly, there was a caw above his head, which startled Shirou and nearly made him jump. Kuro flew a circle around him once before perching on his shoulder. The bird shook his feathers in an angry manner, glaring at Shirou.

“Sorry for making you wait.” Shirou sighed, relacing his shoulders. “That took longer than expected.”

Kuro scrutinized him with a very judgmental, half lidded gaze, but Shirou ignored it. He just realized that prickling feeling was gone.

_It might have been just Kuro, after all._

* * *

“Ow! That hurt!”

“Only because you won’t stop moving.”

It was morning, and Shirou already found his patience being tested by a certain tanuki. When they returned to the Co-op three days ago, Michiru moved back to the study room closet as a safety measure. Being a walking target for the BLF, she would be extremely vulnerable to attacks at the rooftop bedroom, especially with the stairway leading indoors considerably far away. Michiru wasn’t excited about it, but she knew it was necessary.

Shirou also told Melissa about helping Michiru change her bandages twice a day and applying ointment to the bruises. It would be much more comfortable for Michiru to have a fellow woman do this, after all.

To their dismay, however, today Melissa had woken up feeling very sick and indisposed, probably due to a virosis. Gem told Shirou she wouldn’t be able to help this time and, given Michiru’s fragile state, doing so could expose her to whatever disease his wife had caught.

Now, Michiru was sitting on the cot she had been given with Shirou behind her. The poor girl clutched a pillow to her bare chest like her life depended on it, while Shirou carefully cleaned the five stab wounds on her back with antiseptic. Her face was so red, one would assume it would explode at any second. The fact she was in her human form made it all worse, but, as soon as Michiru had recovered enough to transform without feeling like puking, she had quickly found that it was much easier to clean and dress her injuries without any fur in the way.

On the other hand, Shirou wasn’t doing much better. He was in his human form as well, and consequently his flustered, red hot cheeks were visible for everyone to gawk at. He would like nothing more than morphing now just so he could hide the redness under a layer of fur, but he’d rather not risk having his more animalistic side try any funny business with Michiru in her current state of undress.

He narrowed his eyes at the thought. Being a thousand years old, Shirou had certainly lived long enough to master the control over his animal urges. Beastmen were naturally much more impulsive and vulnerable to emotional stimuli than humans, given they literally wore their primal instincts as a skin. That was one aspect Shirou painfully admitted humans were better at. The constant territorial and instinctual tension among civilians always caused trouble in Anima City, varying from random fights breaking out in the streets, to murders caused in a flash of anger. Conquering their animal side was no easy feat, and some never achieved it.

Consequently, Shirou had always been very proud in being such a rational beastman compared to most. In fact, even the scent of a female in heat failed to break through his impartial demeanor. Such abilities allowed him to be a good investigator and think strategically, instead of losing himself to superficial stimuli.

… then why was he suddenly concerned with his animal urges around Michiru??

Shirou didn’t know when it had started, but at some point in their time sleeping together, something… changed in the way he viewed the tanuki. Every morning he’d wake up and stare at her sleeping form, mentally noting every little curve of her body. Sometimes he even caught himself burying his nose in her blue-gray hair to breathe in her scent, finding it incredibly alluring. Until now, he had never really paid attention to the way her body filled out over the years, or how playing sports and fighting crime gradually built her musculature. Michiru had long grown out of her juvenile form and turned into a beautiful woman.

_How did he miss that?_

It must be that warmth in his chest again. It seemed to be growing into something bigger and stronger, not only yearning for the tanuki’s closeness, but also making Shirou crave for her physical touch and attention. It made his fur bristle at the sight of Michiru with other males. It made his heart flutter every time she offered him a smile. It made him feel unbearably incomplete when he had to sleep by himself again while Michiru stayed at the hospital.

Somehow, Michiru was breaking through Shirou’s walls and stirring his natural urges.

It was as if he saw her as a _potential mate_.

Shirou shook his head, mentally scolding himself for feeding such foolish thoughts. Potential mate? That’s _impossible_. It had been many centuries since his last attempt at a romantic relationship, and at the time he even made a promise to never involve himself in such ways with anyone again. At this point, he should know better than playing with matters of the heart.

Frustrated, the white-haired man grumbled something under his breath. He had just finished taping gauze on one of the wounds, then he moved on to the next. It was the worst of the bunch, located right below Michiru’s shoulder blade and surrounded by swollen, angry red skin. Shirou couldn’t help but grimace. After soaking a cotton ball in antiseptic, he shuffled closer and carefully rubbed it along the laceration.

The burning sensation instantly made Michiru whimper and squirm away, which only served to grind Shirou’s nerves further. “Maybe Melissa isn’t sick, she just didn’t want to deal with all your wriggling and made up an excuse.” He all but growled before grabbing the girl’s shoulders and moving her back in place.

Michiru wished he could see her offended glare. “Very funny.” She deadpanned. “You’re just as bad whenever I patch you up.”

“Probably because I don’t need your help with that... most of the time.” He added the last part in a low voice. Michiru looked ready to reply with a snarky remark, but he purposely interrupted it by applying more antiseptic to the injury. She immediately tensed up and buried her face in the pillow, hissing.

Shirou had to try really hard not to stare at the way her muscles rippled under her back skin, or the fact he could see a glimpse of sideboob from his angle. Shame burned in his veins, especially when a wave of _very_ inappropriate imagery suddenly flooded his thoughts.

“Melissa had better be back to normal tomorrow, because there’s no way I’m doing this again.” He grumbled, mostly to himself. Michiru snorted in response.

“What’s the matter? Can’t handle being with a girl for a few minutes?”

Shirou paused his ministrations to glare a hole through Michiru’s neck. “You speak as if I was some fumbling teenager.”

“Well, you’re acting like one.” She turned her head to look at him, smirking. “Mister Red Cheeks.”

Given Shirou’s ongoing battle with his own head, he carelessly blurted out the first thing his frustrated mind could muster. “As if I’d get flustered over a _human_ , of all things.”

Michiru’s smirk vanished in the blink of an eye, and she quickly turned her head away. Each of those words pierced her chest like spears, spreading a shivering cold sensation through her whole body. When Shirou realized what he had said, an immense guilt washed over his thoughts. Still, he resumed treating and dressing the wound while he tried to come up with an apology. The silence between them was unbearable.

Once he had applied ointment and covered the wound with gauze, Shirou sighed deeply. “I’m sorry.” He reached up to touch Michiru’s shoulder. This time, her flinch wasn’t caused by an injury. “I shouldn’t have said that.”

There was a pause, and when Michiru spoke up, her voice sounded quiet and frail.

“Shirou, do you still… _hate_ humans?”

“No.” He was quick to answer. “You’ve taught me not to years ago.”

“Are you sure? Because sometimes you really don’t show that.” She once again curled over her pillow. “I see the way you look at my human friends from the university, and the way you talk about humans whenever we deal with anti-beastman gangs.”

A surprised expression took over Shirou’s features. “I… I suppose I never noticed.”

“I did.” The blunt, short answer cut through the air like a blade, making Shirou inwardly flinch. “You did spend a thousand years hating humans, though, so it’s not something I can blame you for.”

“… but?”

Sighing, she continued. “But sometimes I wonder if you still feel that way about me.” Tears prickled at the corners of her eyes. Michiru was about to confess one of her biggest, most painful insecurities, and gathering the courage to do so wasn’t easy. “I’m already such a burden on you, so I usually think that, maybe… you will tolerate me more if I stay in my beast form all the time.”

More silence. It fell upon the duo with the gentleness of a tumbling elephant. They should be growing used to it by now, as these silent pauses were becoming a habit whenever they talked. Somehow, though, each time the mighty silence made itself known, it never felt any easier to endure. It was relentless with its deafening presence and slowed time down to a crawl.

The air between Michiru and Shirou was quickly charged with a myriad of emotions, each more suffocating than the last. Michiru could only bury her face in the pillow as her ears tuned out to the ticking wall clock nearby.

After what felt like an eternity, the mattress she was sitting on shifted, followed by steps circling her bed. Suddenly, Michiru felt a very warm palm resting on her shoulder. This time she didn’t flinch away, for there was a welcome comforting sensation in its warmth. Slowly, the girl raised her head from the safe embrace of the pillow. Shirou was crouching before her with a concerned, but gentle gaze aimed straight at her eyes. A quick look at the hand on her shoulder showed that he had removed his gloves, and, for some reason, the gesture made her heart flutter a little.

“Michiru.” His voice was incredibly soft, as if trying to lull her to sleep. “Is this why you’ve been avoiding morphing into your human form in all these years?” Sniffling, Michiru wiped her wet eyes and quietly nodded, though she still wouldn’t look at him in the eye. “When was the last time you morphed? Two… three months ago?”

“Five.” She answered a little too quickly. Shirou’s wide eyed reaction would have been amusing if it weren’t for the mix of shame and dread consuming Michiru from inside out. “I’m pretty much useless as a human anyway, so why bother?”

At first, Shirou stayed quiet. Michiru could only speculate what he must be thinking, and, of course, her mind immediately went for the worst options. _Maybe he agreed with her words, maybe he’d finally realize how useless she was and distance himself._

To Michiru’s shock, Shirou did the complete opposite.

She barely had time to fully understand what happened. Before she knew it, she had been enveloped in a firm, incredibly warm embrace that made her whole body want to melt down into a puddle. Her chin rested onto a shoulder as her face expressed nothing but a mix of awe and confusion.

_Was… was Shirou hugging her??_

This was such an unexpected action from Shirou, Michiru felt unnerved at first. However, as reality fully sunk in and she realized how long she had been yearning for a friendly hug, she soon found herself returning the gesture, or at least attempting to as well as she could in her injured conditions. Michiru buried her face in his sweater and wrapped her good arm around his back, clinging to him as if fearing Shirou would regret this at any moment. Knowing him, it was a justifiable concern.

On the other hand, Shirou was just as shocked by his actions. He would never, _ever_ hug anyone, for he had long learned not to allow people into his personal space, or worse, his _emotional_ space. That should be locked away behind countless barriers, as it made him a vulnerable target.

Michiru, however, didn’t give a damn about that. She was always getting into his personal space. She would hug him, grab his arm, ruffle his hair, and generally drag him out of his comfort zone at every opportunity. Over the years, it became their own weird, playful relationship. Shirou stopped minding the physical touch and learned to appreciate her presence around him, especially when she showed genuine care for his wellbeing despite the fact he was immortal.

Therefore, now that Shirou witnessed this girl being driven to tears by his own wrongdoings, a sudden new urge roared to life deep within his body. The urge to comfort her in the way he knew would make her happiest.

“I’m sorry, Michiru.” The voice in her ear was laced with genuine regret and care, which made the human girl shiver. It was rare for Shirou to sound so… _expressive_. “I shouldn’t have made you feel like this. None of it is true.”

Michiru shook her head, still pressing her face into his black sweater. “I don’t see how.” She whispered. “When I’m in this form, I’m a good for noth-”

“I have a human form too.” Shirou cut her off. “And so do all beastmen. Without it, we’d be mindless animals. Instincts without reason.” He leaned back just far enough to look into Michiru’s eyes. Unlike in her beast form, her irises were a beautiful chocolate brown. “It’s an important part of every beastman’s identity whether we like it or not… and it’s especially a part of yours.”

Shirou raised a hand to her face and tenderly cupped her cheek. Michiru immediately leaned into his touch without realizing it, breathing in his scent. There was something very soothing about it, a mix of fresh earth and leaves, with hints of coffee.

“If you were never a human, we wouldn’t have met, would we?” Shirou whispered softly. “And we would never have found a cure for the Nirvasyl Syndrome either. You’ve saved thousands of people’s lives and changed the fate of Anima City.” His words made Michiru’s lips curl in a small, sheepish smile. “You’re far from useless, Michiru.”

There it was again, the warmth. It pulsated in their chests like a flickering flame, spreading a tingly sensation to spots where they touched each other. It wasn’t unpleasant, though. In fact, Michiru wanted to feel more of it. For a moment, she completely ignored the wounds marring her body and pulled Shirou back into a hug. “Thank you, Shirou.”

The tension in their bodies slowly faded away, and everything seemed at peace. For a while, Shirou lost track of time and space, only focusing on the girl- no, _young woman_ in his arms and the soft warmth of her presence. However, it didn’t take long for Shirou’s mind to whisper little insecurities in his ears. He recalled the day before, back when he mercilessly beat Kurt up for over an hour straight. While he and the officers called that a “special interrogation”, there was nothing interrogatory about what he did. Shirou knew that well and, as he pressed his chin on top of Michiru’s head, pondered about her reaction to such secret endeavors. Would she still be hugging him now if she knew what he did yesterday?

A frown took over Shirou’s visage. Why did that matter?

_He was doing it for Michiru’s safety._

Shirou closed his eyes and mentally repeated that to himself like a mantra. One by one, the noisy, negative little voices fell silent. Only that comforting warmth remained, and the sensation of soft skin under his gloveless hand as he gently stroked Michiru’s back.

… actually, now that he thought about it, the odd warmth in his chest felt hotter than usual. This time, it was physical rather than just an emotion conjured in his head. Almost as if Shirou was hugging bare sk-

_Oh._

Shirou’s body suddenly became as tense and stiff as a boulder, followed by a hushed curse under his breath. Frowning, Michiru carefully pulled away and found that Shirou was actively avoiding her eyes. His pale skin turned scarlet in the matter of a second. “Uh, is something wrong?”

“Michiru.” He grumbled, closing his eyes and scrunching up his eyebrows. “You dropped the pillow.”

At first, Michiru tilted her head in confusion, but then her brown eyes widened into saucers in realization. She looked down at herself and let out a panicked squeak. Indeed, the only coverage she had for her top half had been ungracefully abandoned on the bedroom floor.

Michiru jolted as far away from Shirou as possible, as if his very touch burned her skin. Unfortunately, the improvised cot didn’t offer much room. In her haste to cover herself with the bedsheets, she tumbled down on the ground with a loud _slam_. Shirou opened his eyes at the sound of her pained whimpers. “You alright?”

“No.” The sight was almost pitiful. Michiru was hunched over and with her face planted on the floor. Her torso was a ball of bedsheets. “This was… _mortifying._ ”

“If it makes you feel better, I didn’t see anything.” _Lies. Shameless lies._

There was a mix of whine and groan. Michiru leaned up with the covers clutched to her chest, looking at Shirou with the deepest blush he had seen yet. “Can we just agree this never happened?”

Shirou chuckled. “Agreed.”

He reached into the first aid box and unrolled more bandages, gesturing for Michiru to come back to the cot. “Let’s finish this so we can have breakfast, shall we?”

Thankfully, Shirou managed to finish dressing the girl’s injuries without further interruptions. He helped Michiru wrap the bandages around her back and chest until most of her upper half was covered in them. At some point, Michiru even compared herself to a mummy. The last step was helping her put a loose tank top on, given her left arm was still in stuck in a cast.

Once they were finally done, Michiru headed for the door in slow, pained steps. Shirou offered to help, but his ringing phone suddenly interrupted him. She gave him an understanding smile and walked away, leaving her friend to pull his smartphone out and check the screen. It read Barbara Rose. For some reason, the name gave Shirou a bad feeling, but he answered, nonetheless.

“Ogami.”

“I received the police reports.” Her voice was sharp and lined with discontent. Shirou inwardly flinched. “We need to talk, but I assume you already knew that.”

“Yes.” He buried a hand in his messy white hair with a heavy sigh, dreading the inevitable conversation. “I will be there at sundown.”

And just like that, the call ended.

* * *

Shirou could tell Barbara was very unhappy with him. The skin of her forehead was more creased than usual, her lips were pressed into a thin line, and her intense red eyes could pierce through steel, all forming a stoic grimace that would make most cower. Saying Barbara radiated authority would be an understatement.

Beside the elder stood Koichi, who was pouring tea into a cup for her. The herbal scents caressed Shirou’s nose as he approached Barbara’s desk. In normal circumstances, he would find those very pleasant… but not today. The mayor usually only drank that tea when she had a headache to deal with.

And based on the way she stared at him, Shirou might as well be her walking headache of the evening.

“Hello, Ogami.” The greeting was polite, but robotic in tone. “Please sit, I have _concerns_ to discuss with you.”

Shirou halted in front of her desk and shook his head. “I’d rather stand, if you don’t mind.”

Her answer was a curt nod, followed by a sip from the steaming cup of tea. Barbara muttered a low “thank you” to Koichi and gestured for him to leave the room, to which he complied without a word. “I’ve read the reports.” She pushed a few papers towards Shirou. The one at the top showed photos of a shirtless Kurt in multiple views and angles, closely displaying the bruises and cuts covering his body from head to toe. The photos were surrounded by detailed descriptions of trauma and injuries.

Pale olive eyes widened. _Those were autopsy reports_.

“He was sent to the hospital shortly after you left the police station.” Barbara continued as she closed her eyes and rubbed her forehead in a stressed manner. It was a brief glimpse at the myriad of emotions locked behind a hardened front of composure. “He was diagnosed with multiple broken bones, moderate internal bleeding and a second degree burn on his throat. Around early morning, however, his heart stopped, and he couldn’t be brought back.”

Shirou grabbed the paper and skimmed through it. “And you’re insinuating I caused this?” His eyes met Barbara’s, both sets narrowing with a mix of irritation and incredulity.

“I never said that. However, I do have questions.” She placed her finger on another paper, pointing at a closeup of the burn on Kurt’s throat. The marking had the distinct shape of a hand. “Not only did you torture this man, but you also used your Silver Wolf powers on him. Care to explain?”

A growl left Shirou’s human lips. “He wasn’t cooperating, what did you expect?”

“ _Shirou Ogami_.” The authoritative voice turned the air around them to ice. “Besides you, I, more than anyone in this city, know what torture looks like. And you, more than anyone else, should know what I think about doing that to prisoners for answers.”

“I do.” Memories from when he first met that frail little mole rat in the barren cells of a concentration camp came to mind, her tender skin covered in healing wounds from countless punishments. Shirou offered the mayor a softened gaze, only to meet hardened crimson irises. “But you also know that dire times require dire solutions. We are dealing with an extremely dangerous group who were bold enough to bomb a university. Seeking answers should be the priority, or else more people will be at risk.”

For a while, the only sound in the room came from Barbara’s fingers as they slowly tapped on the desk. She scrutinized the man before her from head to toes, mirroring his characteristic analytical gaze in a way that made his body want to fidget. Shirou resisted the urge and stayed unmoving, as still as a statue.

“Something has changed.” The elder broke the silence. “You’ve been more volatile than usual.”

The comment made Shirou blink in puzzlement. “What do you mean?”

“I’m well aware of the _favors_ Tachiki asks from you sometimes, Ogami. Still, it’s been many years since you last accepted these tasks, especially after humans started coming to Anima City. You know the risks of such bad press.” Barbara rested her elbows on the desk and crossed her fingers. “And now you’ve even used your Silver Wolf powers in plain sight just to punish this man? That’s oddly careless of you.”

He scowled in response to the jab. “He wouldn’t speak otherwise. I had already tried everything.”

“And I had to cover your actions.” Her voice, always as sharp as a blade, never wavered. It pierced through Shirou’s chest with cold, restrained fury, leaving behind a strong sense of guilt. “Ogami, I’m willing to sacrifice a lot for you as a friend, but as soon as it affects my duties as the mayor of this city, we have a _very_ big problem.”

Shirou gritted his teeth and looked down at the ground as if it had suddenly become the most interesting thing in the room. The loaded pause was nothing compared to the silence he often found himself in around Michiru. It was harsh and unforgiving, prickling his body from all sides like an iron maiden. The longer it lasted, the tighter it squeezed around Shirou.

He pondered over what kinds of strings the mayor must have pulled to cover him up. Bribery must have been involved and, knowing Barbara, it was no easy feat. She hated abusing her power as a politician even when it was necessary, and the fact she did that to save her friend’s name probably made it much worse. It proved her loyalty to him above all, and Shirou had a feeling he didn’t show his appreciation for that enough.

“… I’m sorry, Rose.” He finally breathed out after a while. “I should have known better.”

The use of Barbara’s surname made her stoic visage falter. She knew Shirou exclusively used it in its most sincere, tender manner, reserved only for moments when the two were alone. It had been a very long time since she last heard it from his lips, which made it even harder to resist the word’s spell.

“Kurt’s cause of death was cyanide poisoning.” She added after a while, immediately catching Shirou’s attention. He whipped his head up to face her and growled.

“Shit.”

“You know what that means, don’t you?”

Shirou raised the autopsy report he still held in his hand and took another look at the man who had once given him so much trouble. His bruised face, now pale and lifeless, told the story of a person betrayed by the very group he had declared loyalty to. It was hard to believe it used to grin with unmatched arrogance and passion for his cause.

“When I was at the station, I had a feeling someone was watching me.” Shirou suddenly remembered, narrowing his eyes. “Infiltrators.”

Barbara nodded with a somber visage. “Apparently, the camera in the hospital room ‘malfunctioned’ when he was poisoned, too.” She raised her cup again to take another sip from her tea, pausing to breathe in its calming scent. “This group seems more organized and widespread than previously thought, which means you must be really careful.”

Shirou knew Barbara was referring to his careless display of powers, but his concerns were elsewhere entirely. “It also means Michiru is in even more danger than expected.” He scowled, placing the report back on the desk.

“I’m glad you’ve brought that up. There’s something else I want to discuss.” She took a final sip of tea and rested the cup on its ceramic saucer. “I’ve heard about what you spent your free time doing while Michiru was at the hospital.”

The comment made Shirou close his eyes and grumble a curse under his breath, which confirmed her concerns. Barbara raised an eyebrow. “Playing vigilante, really?”

“I was seeking answers, that’s all.”

“By beating eight men almost to death.” Once again, her voice hardened into an emotionless, stoic tone. This time, Shirou couldn’t hold back the flinch. “I understand your concerns for her, Ogami, but going off on your own and terrorizing the streets instead of accompanying the investigation isn’t like you. It really shows how impulsive you’ve been.”

“You don’t understand.” Shirou’s animalistic snarl sounded unfitting for his human form. “You didn’t see what Michiru looked like when I found her. She was at death’s doorstep!”

Surprisingly, his words seemed to soften Barbara’s features again and made her lips curl into a tiny, but sincere smile. The first in that whole day. “You really care about Michiru, don’t you?” His only answer was silence. “I wonder if there’s something else to it.”

The slightly accusatory comment made Shirou’s eyes widen. If he had canine ears, they would have perked up in a nearly comical way. “What are you insinuating?”

Barbara merely shrugged. “As I said, you’ve been different. Even before the bombing, I noticed a change in your behavior. You were… lighter. Dare I say, _happier_. Actually, the Horners also reached out to me about it.” She tapped her fingers on the desk again and stared at Shirou in a way that made him feel naked. “And then, when Michiru was hurt, this new side of yours flipped completely and turned into unbridled rage. To me, that hints to Michiru being the source of that happiness from before.”

Shirou was at loss for words, which was a very rare sight. His dumbfounded eyes blinked slowly as his mind tried to process what the mayor had just said, desperately searching for flaws in her logic… but there were none. Something in him still refused to accept it, which filled his head with a buzzing mix of frustration and confusion.

“I don’t… I mean, it’s not-” He brought a hand up to stroke his white hair, his other hand closing into a fist. “Goddamnit.”

“Shirou.” Whenever Barbara used his first name, Shirou knew she wasn’t speaking as the mayor of Anima City, but the caring friend whose bond they’ve been nurturing since she was a child. “You know you can talk to me about anything.”

That wasn’t a question, Shirou knew that. It was easier said than done, however, for someone who spent a thousand years suppressing his emotions behind reinforced walls. Shirou gritted his teeth and headed for the wide windows framing the city horizon. The sunset cast glowing shades of pink, purple and yellow across the buildings, painting a beautiful palette of soothing colors.

The glass’s cold surface met Shirou’s body as he leaned back on it, providing him some relief from the hot redness spreading over his face. “I wouldn’t know what to tell you even if I wanted to, Rose.” He grumbled. “The past month has been a mess.”

“Any idea when it started, at least?”

 _Probably when I started sleeping with my housemate_. “No.”

Barbara raised a skeptical eyebrow, but chose not to pry further on his answer. At least not directly. “What’s bothering you most right now, then?”

“Besides this conversation?” He scoffed, rolling his eyes. Barbara merely kept staring, however, and patiently waited for the _real_ answer. After a minute or so, the stubborn man gave in with an annoyed grumble. “Michiru and I have grown really close over the years, and this worries me.”

“Why?” The elder rested her chin on one hand, letting him know he had her full attention. “We are close too, aren’t we?”

“Yes, but… this feels different, somehow.” He turned his head to look at the view of Anima City, finding the little dots moving along the streets entertaining to watch. “I can count on one hand the amount of close relationships I’ve had in the past thousand years, Rose. You know I’m not good with this.”

There was a pause as Barbara carefully observed her friend with compassionate eyes. “Tell me, Shirou. How much longer do you plan to stay alone?” The question visibly caught him off guard, so she was quick to elaborate. “You’ve always been the lone wolf, pushing everyone away from you and walling your emotions off. Apparently, it worked so well, you don’t even recognize your own feelings anymore.”

The aftershock of Barbara’s words made Shirou’s body tense up dramatically. Something about what she said had hit way too deeply. For a moment, he felt like a prey being cornered into a wall, pressed for answers he didn’t have.

“You know perfectly well that my main purpose in this world is protecting the beastmen, and relationships have a bad habit of getting in the way.”

“Did Michiru and I get in your way?” Shirou opened his mouth, only to snap it shut right after and clear his throat.

“You two are different.” He answered a little too quickly, which he tried to correct by clearing his throat. “You and Michiru joined me in my mission instead of being obstacles.”

“If that’s the case, then why are you so worried about being close to Michiru?”

Shirou’s answer was a disgruntled huff. He squeezed his eyes shut and crossed his arms, obviously frustrated with Barbara’s quick, clever retorts and how easily she could catch him off guard. Stubbornness prevented Shirou from admitting out loud that she had a point, even though his thoughts were all screaming it at him.

There was light humming in the air, and Shirou recognized it as a noise Barbara made whenever she was deep in thought. He instinctively braced himself for whatever question she was cooking up deep in her cunning mind.

“I think I know what you’re scared of, Shirou… it’s _her_ , isn’t it?” If Shirou was in his wolf form, his hackles would have stood on end. His eyes snapped open and shot the woman a warning glare. She ignored it, however. “You still think about what happened, even though that was so long ago-”

“Don’t!” For a split second, Shirou’s teeth looked sharper than normal and claws jutted out of his gloved fingertips. However, the moment was gone just as suddenly as it came, and Shirou’s brief burst of anger gave way to a crushing wave of melancholy that weighted his shoulders and head down. When he spoke again, his voice was laced with heartache. “Please, Rose… _don’t_.”

Sighing, Barbara rose from her seat and slowly made her way towards the sullen man. After stopping next to Shirou and mirroring his position against the glass, she gently rested a hand on his shoulder in a comforting manner. It elicited no reaction from Shirou, but he didn’t push it away either.

“I’m sorry. I know this is a very sensitive topic to you.” She said in a calm, almost motherly tone, giving her friend’s shoulder a light squeeze. “But that was many centuries ago, Shirou. Why do you keep punishing yourself?”

“Because I remember it like it was yesterday.” He raised his head just enough to give Barbara a side glance, showing a grim emptiness in his pale green iris. “Her face still haunts my dreams, it’s like a curse. She’s always there to remind me why allowing anyone too close is a bad idea.”

Barbara pursed her lips in thought. “Have you considered that, maybe, the only way to remove this ‘curse’ is by doing the exact opposite?”

Those words earned a rather odd look from Shirou, as if she had suddenly grown a second head. “… what?”

“Think about it. You’ve spent centuries avoiding making bonds with anyone, and yet that never worked. It didn’t lift your ‘curse’, did it?” Shirou blinked slowly, puzzled. His mind was already a turmoil of feelings, and Barbara’s input seemed to stir the mixture further. “You need to move on, Shirou. Seven hundred years is far too long to mourn over what could have been.”

Shirou frowned stubbornly, ready to give her a snarky reply. The words died in his mouth, though, when something else came to mind. A familiar voice that instantly silenced the buzzing mess of thoughts and emotions cluttering his head.

_You know… someone told me you shouldn’t mope over things out of your control._

His eyes widened. The image of a smiling Michiru clad in a hospital gown flashed before his eyes. She was combing her fingers through Shirou’s fur, spreading a comforting warmth everywhere she touched. The memory seemed to suck the tension away from his body just like it did that day, replacing it with a sense of serenity.

Shirou took a deep, calming breath and instinctively reached up to touch one of the spots Michiru had caressed, right behind his ear. Her words still resonated within his skull like a bell… _perhaps I should start taking my own advice._

“… I guess you have a point.” He grumbled, finally admitting defeat, even if still being disgruntled about it. Before Barbara could reply, Shirou continued. “It’s easier said than done, though. I… I have no idea of what to do.”

“Well, not pushing others away would be a good start.” She offered him a friendly smile. “You clearly enjoy Michiru’s company, so why not stop denying yourself that?”

A light blush crawled onto Shirou’s cheeks. Although he would never voice it out loud, he really missed Michiru’s company at night. They hadn’t been able to sleep together since the university bombing, and, consequently, the nightmares that plagued Shirou’s sleep had returned. Originally, he had hoped their time away from each other would help them drop such an outrageous habit, but it only made him crave her presence further.

Barbara was right. Denial probably wasn’t the solution.

Shirou rubbed his brow and let out an exasperated groan. “Fine.” He pushed himself away from the window to properly face his friend. Barbara still had that gentle, motherly look on her features, obviously content with how this conversation turned out. “I will give it a try. No guarantees, though.”

The mayor nodded respectfully. “I just want to see you happy, Shirou, and I’m sure Michiru does too.”

Somehow, the word “happy” brought a strange, cold feeling to Shirou’s chest. It had long lost its meaning to him, representing something he could never achieve. After living for so long, Shirou would even argue he had forgotten what happiness felt like.

… but perhaps there was a way to rediscover this elusive feeling. Following Barbara’s suggestion could indeed be worth a shot.

It wasn’t like he had much to lose at this point.

* * *

After his conversation with the mayor, Shirou had a few more errands to take care of. Mainly checking on the police station to see whether Kurt’s partners were kept safe. Apparently, there was another poisoning attempt that sent one of them to the nearest hospital, but, thankfully, he survived. The good news was that, upon witnessing their own group trying to get rid of them, two of the three men were gradually becoming more willing to cooperate with the investigation.

The sky was dark by the time Shirou returned to the Co-op. He joined Michiru, Melissa and Gem for dinner and then helped the tanuki with her bandages again. Fortunately, with Michiru being mostly confined to the building without strenuous exercises, her bandages didn’t need changing too often.

The second time was nowhere as awkward as the first, and Shirou took the opportunity to tell the tanuki about Kurt’s intel as well as his tragic demise. Of course, he didn’t have the guts to mention how Kurt was _coaxed_ into speaking, but just the fact someone had executed the criminal was enough to leave Michiru deeply unsettled.

A while later, Shirou found himself in the darkness of his study room. He laid comfortably on the couch while wearing only a pair of loose pants. Everyone else had retired to their beds already, including Michiru. She had marched into the closet in a nearly robotic manner without saying a single word. It was odd, but Shirou knew she still had a lot to think about.

And well, so did he.

His mind was a mess. It swarmed with a chaotic mix of words spoken by Barbara, Kurt and Michiru. One would wonder how Shirou hadn’t already developed a migraine from all the incessant voices rattling his brain. In a desperate attempt to distract himself from the mental noise, he turned his attention to the room’s gigantic windows.

There were no clouds in the sky that night, which exposed intricate webs of beautiful, glimmering stars for anyone to admire. Shirou really liked nights like this, for they reminded him of simpler days. Particularly, his days as nomadic merchant, in which he would live fully in nature’s embrace as he travelled from town to town. Whether it was breathing the fresh wildlands' air, or sleeping under the stars, there was a deep serenity about that lifestyle Shirou wouldn't find elsewhere.

Unfortunately, such treasured moments had long been swept by the winds of time.

Again and again, Shirou would try to grasp at the memories, but it was to no avail. The harder he tried, the farther the fragments drifted away, until they disappeared in the foggy depths of his mind. It felt like chasing distant echoes in the darkness, which Shirou found incredibly frustrating.

Time was no kind mistress. In the same way it would eat away at one’s body, it also withered the mind. Its memories would slowly be stripped of its visuals, sounds and emotions, just like a carcass being consumed by scavengers. In the end, only stray fragments survived, left to drift aimlessly in the ether and occasionally being summoned in the world of dreams. It was a grim, yet natural law.

And Shirou was no exception.

His immortality meant little to Mistress Time, for his mind aged all the same even if his body did not. Years inevitably bled into decades, and decades bled into centuries. At some point, counting the time became meaningless for Shirou, as did the need for emotions. In a twisted turn of fate, Shirou’s immortality had turned him into a corpse. A ghost doomed to forever wander in the realm of the living.

Frowning, Shirou thought back to that youthful merchant who liked to rest under the stars. He could barely recall the way he smiled, laughed and played with other beastmen, one of them being an energetic little ram he called his best friend. The sounds of their mirth were all but a distant, fragmented echo.

That person Shirou once identified as himself had died alongside his brethren in Nirvasyl.

Barbara’s earlier question came back to mind. _How much longer do you plan to stay alone?_

It was hard to figure out a proper answer, especially after spending most of his lengthy lifetime in self isolation. Besides, there was that one time he made an exception… the time he allowed _her_ into his life, only for it to backfire horrendously. That was one of few distant memories that refused to fade away, and Shirou could already feel the claws of guilt clutching his heart just from that quick moment of remembrance.

Shirou squeezed his eyes shut and rubbed his temples exasperatedly. _At this rate he would never get any sleep that night._

Suddenly, a low creaking sound broke the silence in the room. Shirou opened his eyes and focused on his ears, listening closely as shuffling noises came from behind the couch. Soon, a shadowed figure he knew too well crawled around the furniture and plopped herself on the floor. She hugged her knees to her chest in a childish manner, then rested her back next to Shirou’s legs.

At first, Shirou said nothing, merely observing Michiru with curiosity in his eyes. “Can’t sleep?”

“Not really.” She mumbled tiredly. “Too much stuff in my head.”

Shirou couldn’t help but sympathize with her chagrin. “Me too.”

Silence reigned again, leaving the two friends to their own introspections for several minutes. Now and then, Shirou would gaze at Michiru and pay attention to little body language cues. Things like the way she kept chewing on her lower lip, her tail twitching anxiously by her bare feet, and her ears pinning back. The sight reminded him of a scared mouse hiding from its pursuer, expecting to be killed and eaten at any second.

More time passed. The silence, which was originally peaceful and comforting, now had turned into a heavy, suffocating presence. Shirou was about to finally give in and ask Michiru what was wrong, when she surprised him by shattering the silence herself.

“I’m scared, Shirou.” Her voice was so frail and quiet, Shirou almost missed it. _Almost_. Michiru didn’t face him, but he caught a glimpse of her eyes as she shifted in place. They glowed lightly in the fickle moonlight.

Shirou leaned up from his pillow until he was sitting with one leg propped up, and the other outstretched across the couch. “What’s wrong?”

Sighing, Michiru buried a hand into her locks of dark blue hair. “It’s this whole mess. The bombing, the assault, Kurt’s death… I feel like a sitting duck, just waiting for anyone around me to suddenly pull out a gun and shoot me dead. Even worse, in their attempts to kill me they are hurting innocent people too.” She looked straight into Shirou’s eyes. “I came to this city to be safe from the humans, but now I can’t even trust beastmen either. W-What if… what if I don’t belong to either?” Her voice was at the verge of breaking, and tears started lining the back of her eyes. “What if Kurt was right? I’m a manmade freak who shouldn’t exist.”

The look in her eyes was one of anger and despair, both entwined into a flame Shirou was more than familiar with. He had seen it countless times on the faces of beastmen who prayed to him for hope and protection. He had also seen it on the faces of the fallen… the ghosts who powered his very being.

And now, Michiru stared at him with that same look, as if pleading for his help as the Silver Wolf himself. Pleading for him to bless her with promises of safety and comfort. This both called to his protective nature and perplexed it, for Shirou never thought that, in his thousand-year-old existence, he’d have a beastman pray for his protection against fellow beastmen.

“Kurt was a fool.” He spoke with a sigh. “As is everyone in that damn group. You shouldn’t give such ideas so much credit.”

“It’s hard not to when I’m the one having to lock myself in a closet just to stay alive.” Michiru pinned her ears back and gritted her teeth. “I have humans _and_ beastmen on my tail now.”

Shirou eyed the tanuki carefully, mentally measuring his next words. He didn’t want to say too much. “I’ve been in your shoes, too.” The tanuki jerked her head to face him with a look of disbelief. He was quick to continue. “Not everyone likes the Silver Wolf. To some, I’m the savior god. To others, I’m the angel of death. Most of Anima City’s citizens are followers, but I’ve had my fair share of experience with those interpret my image differently.”

Michiru blinked. She had never considered this possibility before, given pretty much everyone in Anima City seemed to adore tales of the great Silver Wolf. “Wait, really? How can they think such things after having you save their asses??”

The cold stare Michiru received sent chills down her spine. “Can you blame them? In my countless battles with humans over the centuries, victories came at a price. Many beastmen died after getting caught between the humans and I… sometimes entire families.” There was a rocky tone to Shirou’s voice, as if he was trying to clear a lump in his throat. “My presence brings both fortune and tragedy, so I may be seen as either a symbol of hope, or an omen of death and destruction.”

Now that her initial shock had worn off, Michiru noticed Shirou’s ancient eyes had become lightly cloudy, and a pained expression marred his facial features. Obviously, this was a very sore matter to the immortal beastman.

_I know exactly what you’re feeling right now, so trust me when I say it won’t do good to anyone. Especially not you._

_Of course._ The memory made Michiru wince, imagining what it must be like to save those you care about, only to be blamed and hated by them afterwards.

“How do you deal with it?” She watched Shirou’s eyes focus on hers, now with a questioning glint. “The guilt.”

Something about that question made Shirou visibly tense up and hesitate. Once again, he found himself questioning how far he was willing to allow Michiru into the depths of his hardened heart. She had already cracked his walls, so was it a good idea to crack them further just so the girl could sneak around in his psyche? What if his foundations didn’t hold up?

Then again… those were thousand-year-old foundations he was talking about. They were nowhere as fragile as his mind wanted him to believe.

“… sometimes I don’t.” The admission was no surprise. Michiru still remembered how easily Shirou succumbed to his own guilt and developed Nirvasyl Syndrome. “But… I like to think that, as long as I keep fighting to protect beastman and making it my purpose, I will be honoring all those I’ve failed.”

“What about the people who believe you do more damage than good?”

“They don’t know me.” He answered curtly. “If they have no idea what my reasons and purpose are, then their opinions mean nothing.” The look Shirou gave Michiru filled her with admiration. “Just like those bastards claim you’re a menace without knowing anything about you. Stop listening to their rambles, they aren’t worth your time.”

The last part earned a little chuckle from Michiru, which Shirou was happy to hear. At least his words managed to reassure her, even if only a little.

“Hey, Shirou?” She started again after a little pause. Her hand rose to push a hair strand away from her face, while her eyes refused to meet Shirou’s. “Regardless of whether people like the Silver Wolf or not… I just want you to know I’ll always trust you with my life.”

Her statement hit Shirou much harder than he expected, causing that little moth in his chest to stir up again and spread its addicting warmth. There was something really _special_ about Michiru’s comment, but he couldn’t put his finger on it. In fact, when he thought about it, after spending years working side by side with Michiru and saving her skin in countless occasions, such comment shouldn’t have fazed him at all.

And yet, it ignited that familiar warmth in his chest like a radiant hearth. Shirou felt his heart flutter with joy. _Joy_ , of all things! This was coming from the same man who thought he couldn’t feel such emotion anymore.

Michiru was no different. The flame in her chest burned stronger than before, turning her skin scarlet underneath fur and making her fingertips tingle. Shirou’s intense stare was almost overwhelming, which didn’t alleviate her anxiety. Still, Michiru couldn’t look away from those ancient, entrancing eyes.

But then, to Michiru’s surprise, Shirou leaned closer and extended a hand to her. Even without any words being spoken, a single nod towards the couch was enough for the girl to catch onto Shirou’s intentions. She smiled sheepishly and gently placed her hand in his, which sent pleasant sparks running through their palms and fingers.

Shirou pulled her onto the couch, always mindful of her bandages and sling. Moving in the cramped space of a couch to accommodate a second person was more awkward than he had expected, however. Any other night, Shirou and Michiru would have laid down facing away from each other, too shy to even exchange looks in such circumstances. Now, with their bed of choice being a couch, they didn’t have such luxuries anymore.

After shifting around for a while, Shirou settled for laying on his side, and Michiru had squeezed herself in the space between him and the couch’s back. Both were blushing furiously, especially Michiru, who only now had become particularly aware of Shirou’s shirtless state. He, on the other hand, tried not to draw attention to his own flustered face by squeezing his eyes shut and pretending to be already dozing off. His whole body was as stiff as a board.

“Uhm... Shirou?”

“Yeah?”

“Could you morph into your wolf form?”

Shirou’s eyes shot open, then flicked towards the girl with a raised eyebrow. “Why?”

“Just do it.” When he didn’t budge, Michiru tried to muster her best pleading look. She even tilted her head to the side and brushed her bangs away from her eyes, exposing even more of those stunning teal irises. “Pretty please?”

Shirou managed to resist it for a moment, but he knew that tanuki well enough to tell she wouldn’t let him sleep until her wish was granted. He could only roll his eyes with an annoyed groan as his body transformed into its most natural, beastly form. Fingers turned into claws, teeth turned into sharp fangs, and bare skin gave way to a thick mane of silky white and grey fur.

When the newly morphed Shirou looked at Michiru again, she had the biggest, most excited grin stamped on her lips. It was almost _scary_. Before he could move or say anything, she had already clung to his torso and happily nuzzled the soft pelt. To say Shirou was caught off guard would be an understatement.

“Seriously?” He deadpanned, incredulous.

“Shut up, I need this.” Was her only answer. Shirou had always found Michiru’s attraction to his fur puzzling, especially given how many times he had woken up to find her face pretty much buried in it. For the time being, he’d rather not make any questions and simply leave the girl be.

In a matter of seconds, Shirou even heard the soft thumping of Michiru’s tail wagging against the cushions. As tempting as this was to make fun of her and get his revenge, he chose to simply let Michiru savor the soft embrace. There was no point in ruining it, after all.

It didn’t take much longer for Michiru’s nuzzles and caresses to make the two of them drowsy. Shirou never even realized he had wrapped his arm around her back, nor noticed the way he had buried his canine nose into her dark blue hair.

And Michiru never felt safer.


	6. Home Away From Home

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> An update on the last day of the year, oh my!
> 
> Not much happens here, this chapter is mainly building up to my favorite point of the story. To be honest I'm not quite happy with it and just want to get to the fun part once and for all. Oh well, chapter 7's incoming fluff storm should make up for it in any case.
> 
> Anyway, good reading and see you all next year!

Michiru never thought she would be relieved in returning to the hospital.

After having spent the past two weeks all but locked up in the Co-op, saying Michiru was desperate to go outside was quite the understatement, even if it was just for a medical checkup. Her body felt at the verge of bursting with pent-up energy, and Michiru had even begged Shirou to let her walk all the way there just so she could spend some of it.

Of course, safety measures had to be taken. To hide her identity, Michiru morphed into a llama with long curls of wooly, dark blue hair. She also picked a white summer dress covered in intricate, yellow flowery patterns, which really contrasted her usual tomboyish style. Unfortunately, considering the BLF was already aware of Michiru’s affiliation with Shirou, having him accompany her to the hospital was out of question. Still, the mayor had sent three covert bodyguards over to ensure her safety. They would watch and follow her around from a discreet distance.

As excited as Michiru was to go outside, all these measures made it rather nerve-wracking. She couldn’t help but wish Shirou was by her side to soothe her fears. Thankfully, the appointment turned out better than expected. The x-rays taken of her injured arm revealed it had healed almost fully already even though it had only been three weeks. Dr. Ikehara said it probably was the healing factor in action once again. Michiru’s lacerations showed signs of accelerated healing as well.

“Mr. Ogami’s healing factor may be strong enough to cause instant regeneration, but it looks like yours is particularly efficient at healing long term injuries.” The doctor said with a fascinated look. “I wonder if further research on your samples can help in the medical field. Imagine it, we could develop new treatments for traumatology!”

Michiru, now in her human form, looked down at her arm cast and wriggled her fingers. She had a pensive look on her chocolate eyes. “What does that mean for me, though? Should I expect to shrug off bullets and survive skyscraper falls, now?”

He chuckled lightly and shook his head. “Based on our data, your healing factor is still very limited. It can only handle a certain amount of damage at once before being overwhelmed, so life threatening wounds are still… well, life threatening.” He adjusted his glasses over his nose, allowing a more serious expression to cover his aged features. “Even back when you were brought to the hospital, the factor seemed to be struggling to keep your body from collapsing. It held on just long enough for medical help to take over.”

The thought of being so close to death sent a shiver down Michiru’s spine.

“Uhm, can I remove this thing now, at least?” She raised her arm cast. “It’s been driving me crazy.”

“Of course! I will go fetch the saw.”

After finally having the obnoxious plaster cover removed from her limb, Michiru gave the doctor permission to collect blood and tissue samples for further studies. Considering her recent concerns, she should have been uneasy about giving away such valuable data to anyone. Thankfully, though, Barbara had explained Dr. Ikehara was her personal doctor and her right hand when it came to studying classified phenomena. No wonder he knew so much about Shirou’s own healing factor. Having confirmation of another trustworthy person she could rely on helped put Michiru’s mind at ease during the appointment.

The walk back home felt too short. Part of Michiru wished to take a turn around the corner and run elsewhere until the covert guards were off her tail. She knew better than that, though, and continued walking with a frustrated sigh. Once the Co-op was in sight, she took a longer route and entered the building from the back door, only morphing back into her tanuki form after closing the door behind her back.

As soon as Michiru stepped inside, the excitement and glee from venturing out suddenly reversed, transforming into heavy chains of dread that weighted down her whole body. She paused and looked back at the door, twitching her canine ears as she listened to the muffled ambience of a city buzzing with life.

A strong sense of loneliness tugged at her heartstrings. Michiru knew that feeling too well. It haunted her back when she had just transformed into a beastman and spent weeks locked in her bedroom, having no company besides the screen of a smartphone. Her parents, once very supportive, had become distant and scared of their own daughter. They didn’t want to reach out to anyone in fear of the public’s reaction, while at the same time suspecting Michiru’s condition could be contagious. They could only instruct her to self-isolate until they figured out a solution.

Unsurprisingly, that day never came.

Deep inside, Michiru knew they meant well and were merely clueless on how to deal with such a bizarre turn of events. However, knowing this did little to soothe her anguish. As their daughter, Michiru couldn’t help but feel betrayed when those supposed to love and support her most abandoned her side.

Her parents had been Michiru’s last tether to the human world. One day, after being locked in her room for a little over a month, the tanuki had to finally overcome her denial and realize that tether had long been broken. She didn’t belong to the world of humans anymore.

That realization had hurt far more than the gunshot she took to the chest.

Michiru instinctively clutched at her chest, feeling a throbbing ache from the scarring bullet wound. Who would have thought that, after trying so hard to find a place where she truly belonged, it would all be in vain? Now she was back to square one, with the world outside just as hostile as the day she left her parents’ home… if not more. This time, she had nowhere else to run either.

_At least back then she didn’t have to worry about beastmen coming after her._

Frowning, Michiru shook her head to clear her thoughts. They were beginning to grow overwhelming, as if a giant fist were squeezing her skull. As the tanuki climbed the stairs towards the living room, it only got worse. The walls around her felt bigger and more imposing than normal, and the imaginary chains of dread constricted Michiru’s chest with each step. It was almost claustrophobic.

Upon reaching the living room, she was immediately greeted by Melissa and Gem. They were really excited to see that everything had gone well, but Michiru didn’t feel like talking to anyone now. Her head was simply way too busy throbbing with a swarm of negative thoughts. A forced smile sneaked its way to her lips as she rushed through their greetings and went straight for the study room, leaving the couple puzzled in front of a closed door.

Shirou, who had been feeding Kuro a handful of seeds nearby, observed the scene unfold with a raised eyebrow. Sighing, he walked over and offered to talk to Michiru so Melissa could continue preparing lunch. It helped put her mind at ease for the time being, at least. Soon enough, both she and Gem had headed to the kitchen, leaving their tenant behind.

The study room looked empty when Shirou opened the door, but he had already expected that. After leaving Kuro on his favorite perch, he calmly made his way towards the closet door and knocked on it. “Michiru?” Silence was his only response. “I know you’re there.”

There was a long pause, until a very quiet, muffled voice finally answered.

“It’s open.”

Shirou figured this would be as good an invitation as he would get, so he turned the handle and opened the door just enough for the study room’s light to clear the darkness inside.

Lately, self-isolation had been slowly chipping away at Michiru’s cheerful demeanor, turning it into something sour and grim. It wasn’t that uncommon for Shirou to return home from an errand and find her caved in the closet, idly browsing Facelook in the dark. This time was no different. As he leaned on the doorway, Shirou took a long look at the tanuki carelessly sprawled on the makeshift cot with her phone in hands. Her once vibrant teal eyes now looked oddly sullen.

“What are you doing?”

She glanced at her visitor for the first time, scoffing. “Using my phone, obviously.”

The snarky reply made Shirou’s eyes narrow in annoyance. In the matter of a second, Michiru’s phone had been snatched from her hands and stored away into one of her friend’s coat pockets. “H-Hey! Give that back, you jerk!” Michiru immediately exclaimed.

“First, we’ll talk.” Shirou extended a hand in a silent offer.

Michiru’s initial reaction was hesitation. Her eyes flicked between Shirou’s eyes and his hand several times, until she gave in and placed her hand on his. Even though he was wearing gloves, their touch tingled with little sparks all the same.

With a gentle tug, Shirou helped Michiru to her feet and then nodded towards the couch. She didn’t wait for him and hastily made her way to it with stiff steps. It was obvious to Shirou she was trying to avoid him, probably due to how easily he could read her. Well, that tanuki wasn’t going to escape so easily.

Michiru heavily plopped herself on the couch, crossing her arms and huffing in a childish manner. Without her phone as a distraction, now Shirou could witness her restlessness at its fullest. Michiru kept fidgeting with her fingers, twitching her tail, chewing on her lower lip, and looking everywhere but his eyes.

“You look like a drug addict.” He deadpanned, sitting on one of the couch’s arms. A satisfied smirk curled his lips when Michiru angrily puffed up her cheeks in reaction.

“You would, too, if I kept you leashed for two weeks.” She hissed.

Shirou barely paid her jab any attention, however. His eyes were focused elsewhere. “Did you get your cast removed?” He asked suddenly, pointing at Michiru’s left arm. “That was sooner than expected.”

Michiru blinked, realizing she had completely forgotten about that. She raised the arm in question and showed it to her friend, wriggling her fingers. The limb looked as good as new, without any hint of its once unnaturally bent state. “Yeah, the doctor said it’s almost fully healed already.”

“Was it the factor?”

She nodded. “It’s… weird. I mean, I’m definitely not complaining, but being able to heal like this feels so strange.” A tiny, but genuine smile made its way to Michiru’s lips as she recalled Dr. Ikehara’s words. “You know, the doctor said that further research on my blood could help develop new medical treatments. Can you imagine that? I’d be helping so many people!”

For the first time since she returned from the doctor’s office, Michiru’s eyes recovered their jovial sparkle. The prospect of helping others heal from severe injuries was simply too good, especially if that also meant helping save lives. Even Shirou couldn’t hold back a smile from tugging at the corners of his lips at the sight of Michiru’s contagious excitement.

At the same time, however, her change in behavior raised questions. “Then why were you so gloomy when you came home?”

And just like that, Michiru’s mood plummeted all the way back down. In the blink of an eye, her body had sagged under the weight of her conflicted thoughts, as if an invisible force had just sucked away all the strength in her body. Her lips pressed into a thin line while her brows furrowed in distress. Shirou almost regretted having ruined her moment of excitement, but he knew this needed to be addressed.

Something about the unfocused look in her eyes grabbed his attention, though. It reminded Shirou of her last day at the hospital, specifically when he witnessed the tanuki freeze in place for the briefest of moments in the middle of caressing his fur. Protective instincts quickly stirred to life deep in Shirou’s chest, but, before he could say anything, Michiru finally spoke up.

“Shirou, I… I don’t want to keep living like this.” Michiru all but whimpered. “I can’t. I just _can’t_. Not again.”

Although Shirou kept a composed, calm expression, the crushing dread in Michiru’s voice made him inwardly flinch. He already knew about the girl’s time spent in isolation at her own human home, so it didn’t come as a surprise that the current safety measures in place would take a toll on her. Still, hearing it from her lips was unsettling.

“It’s only temporary, Michiru.”

“Yeah, but for how long??” Her tone sharpened suddenly, matching a spark of anger that lit her eyes. “Weeks? Months? Groups like these are hard to disband, what if it takes years?!” Michiru exasperatedly buried her face in hands, exhaling loudly. Her dark blue hair draped over her features as if shielding her from the rest of the world. “I don’t want to live in fear for the rest of my life.”

Shirou’s eyes narrowed. “You don’t have to live in fear, because I _won’t_ let anyone hurt you again.” His words were impassive and full of resolve, leaving no wriggle room for other possibilities. In any other circumstances, such display of care for her wellbeing would have warmed Michiru’s heart.

Today, however, she barely paid attention to it.

When Michiru looked up at Shirou again, the eyes that met his own had darkened into pits of sorrow. The full damage of weeks isolated with her own self-loathing thoughts now had been laid bare before him.

“Shirou…” She started in a slow, oddly apathetic voice. “Sometimes you forget you’re not a real god.”

Shirou’s eyes widened in surprise. “What?”

“You aren’t omnipotent nor flawless. You can’t be around to protect me all the time, no matter how much you try.” Michiru sighed sadly. “It’s like what you told me before… some things are just out of our control.”

Shirou felt a sharp, frigid pain strike his heart like lightning. It reminded him way too closely of the spear that impaled his chest at Nirvasyl, and he had to resist the urge to clutch at the aching spot. Why did that hurt so much??

_Because it was the truth._

Grimacing, he took another look at Michiru. Her gaze was unfocused again, lost somewhere in the depths of her mind and surrounded by thoughts that dripped with venom. For once, Shirou was unable to comfort the tanuki, and that realization bothered him way more than he could ever expect. Michiru, on the other hand, seemed so fixated on her own turmoil, she failed to notice how much her comment had affected the man by her side. The air around her form was almost palpable with dread and tension.

It was difficult to watch such a bright flame being slowly stifled away.

Suddenly, a fluttering noise snapped them out of their reveries. Before they knew it, Kuro had flown over and made himself comfortable on top of Michiru’s head, cawing proudly. The girl looked up with a surprised look, then a tiny, amused smile curled her lips.

Shirou glanced at his crow friend with a raised eyebrow. He wouldn’t be surprised if Kuro had deliberately tried to break the tension between them. Kuro was certainly smart enough to pull off such a stunt and, judging by Michiru’s little chuckles, it had worked.

“I wish I could give you a better solution, Michiru.” Shirou breathed out in a somber, yet soft voice. It grabbed Michiru’s attention even with Kuro still on her head. “But this is all we have for now.”

“I know…” A few nudges were enough to convince the bird to hop off Michiru’s head and onto her shoulder. The smile on her lips sagged into a saddened frown. “I just don’t know how long I’ll last like this. I can’t stand it. If those guys don’t kill me, being locked up just might.”

There was a pause as the impact of her words slowly faded away, allowing a thick, tense silence to fill the distance between the two friends. Shirou kept an unreadable visage even though what Michiru said had deeply unsettled him, only speaking up again after carefully staring at her for a long minute.

“I know you can do it.” The confidence in Shirou’s voice surprised Michiru, who shot him a curious look. “You’re stronger than you realize, just look at everything you’ve gone through so far.”

Something about hearing those words straight from Shirou’s lips made Michiru blush furiously under her fur. She whipped her eyes away from his and busied herself with petting Kuro again, trying her hardest to ignore her heart’s summersaults. That proved trickier than expected, however, when Shirou continued.

“Besides, I know you, Michiru.” He scooted closer. “You’re way too stubborn to give up that easily.”

When Michiru looked at him again, she was surprised to find Shirou giving her a very genuine, heartwarming smile that sent all the whispering insecurities in her mind scramming away. The room seemed to become brighter and more vibrant, while the cold fear inundating her chest melted away into that familiar, fluttering warmth.

Ever since they started sleeping together on the couch, Michiru and Shirou had been growing more comfortable with each other’s physical touch. Notions of personal space turned more flexible, and gestures that once seemed too invasive or awkward were becoming a natural part of their relationship. Even Shirou, who had always been the kind of person to actively avoid touch, was slowly growing a fondness for the tanuki’s embrace.

Which is why, when Shirou recognized the telltale warm look in Michiru’s eyes, his immediate response was to raise his arm onto the couch’s back, silently inviting the girl into his personal space. Kuro quickly understood he was no longer necessary and flew back to his perch, although his escape went unnoticed by Michiru. She merely gave Shirou a grateful smile before scooting over and leaning on his side. Once comfortable, she rested her head on his shoulder with a deep sigh.

It took a while for Shirou’s mind to catch up with what he had just done, but it was too late. He looked down at their new position and realized that, if anyone walked in right now, there would be no way to deny they were cuddling together… and nothing about it felt wrong.

Somehow, that realization was downright _frightening_.

Neither beastman made a move to separate themselves, however. No matter how loudly the outraged voices in their heads protested, calling their actions inappropriate, the craving for each other’s warmth made such noises fall into deaf ears. Shirou, albeit a little tense, managed to swallow down a knot of uncertainty and wrap his arm around Michiru’s shoulders, bringing her closer in a half hug. She hummed in appreciation, then pressed her cheek on his black sweater to quietly breathe in his soothing scent.

Deep inside, Shirou knew this was little more than a temporary fix for Michiru’s turmoil. It was only a matter of time for her inner demons to return and resume tormenting her mind. Lately, Shirou even noticed that Michiru had grown tenser in her sleep, often grimacing and clutching on his fur as she ran away from her haunting fears. Her distress had reached the point of breaching the sacred shield of their nightly embrace.

He frowned. There had to be another solution. A way for Michiru to feel safe and confident again. A way to take her mind off the hostile world surrounding her, even if just for a few days…

Suddenly, a spark of realization lit up his pale green eyes.

Shirou knew what to do.

* * *

Few things compared to the exhilarating sensation of flying. To soar high in the sky with nothing but the wind cradling her body, no longer held back by the claws of the hostile world beneath… that was freedom at its rawest. Untamed and insatiable.

Michiru couldn’t have enough of it.

She savored the wind’s touch, feeling each hair and feather on her body rustling under the caress of its invisible tendrils. Her eyes, which were currently shielded by goggles, closed as she took a deep breath of fresh air and flapped her wings, taking mental notes of temperature, humidity and wind direction as she caught a warm updraft.

It still surprised Michiru how naturally her body absorbed such information. Back when she had first met Pingua, his descriptions of flight sounded far too complex to learn. They were robotic and stiff, like reading a theory book for an upcoming test, which made this unique experience very difficult to grasp. Once Michiru finally learned to morph her arms into wings, however, she seemed to unlock a vault of knowledge ingrained in her deepest, most primordial instincts. Suddenly, her whole body had become acutely tuned to the atmosphere and its elements. From the slightest shift in static to the densely packed water droplets drifting in midair.

Michiru felt like she had opened a third eye, now able to see the world in a completely new light. She could never go back, and the mere concept of a cure for her beastman condition seemed downright absurd. Giving up this newfound freedom was out of question.

Which was a big reason why Michiru dove straight into a pit of misery in the days following the removal of her cast.

The tanuki frowned behind her goggles, thinking about how tough the past week had been. After that appointment with Dr. Ikehara, Michiru found herself skipping meals and spending most of her days isolated in the dark closet, unresponsive even to Shirou’s knocking as she drifted in and off sleep. At least when she was physically impaired, her limitations gave her a reason avoid activities. Now, with her injuries almost fully healed, Michiru had to _force_ herself to stay still, even when the beautiful sunny days stirred her primal urge to take flight.

The constant suppression of her bubbling energy was exhausting in its own way. It didn’t help that Michiru couldn’t do much in the confines of the Co-op, either. In fact, she couldn’t even use her job as a distraction, since most of her duties as a social worker involved going outside to solve civilians’ problems, prevent fights and help newcomers find proper housing. Without that aspect of her job, all that was left for Michiru to do was paperwork.

And oh, did she _hate_ the paperwork. If anything, that only made Michiru number and more cynical to the world around her. She had lost interest in it, even to the point of having stopped coming to the couch to sleep with Shirou. The solitude of a musty closet felt far more inviting for her dark thoughts and deteriorating self-image.

This went on and on, until, finally, earlier that morning, Shirou seemed to have had enough of her sulking. He shoved the closet door open and ripped the bedsheets off Michiru, startling her awake. Before she could do as much as open her mouth to complain, a backpack had already been thrown into her arms.

“Pack up your essentials. You’re coming with me for a few days.” Had been the man’s only explanation before he disappeared from Michiru’s eyesight.

To say she was confused would be an understatement, especially considering it was still dawn. Still, Michiru could tell Shirou was dead serious based on his stern voice and didn’t want to anger him further. After packing up a few clothes and basic supplies, she nervously met up with her housemate at the rooftop. He was wearing his white jacket today along with a black t-shirt.

“I shouldn’t be here.” Michiru whispered, taking anxious glances all around her. She felt like a deer in headlights, far too exposed to an invisible danger. Thankfully, a gentle hand on her shoulder served to still her anxiety.

“Don’t worry, I’ll keep you safe.” Shirou said in a calm voice, then looked pointedly at the largest of the mountains lining the landscape behind the city. The morning sun shone on its snowy peak, making it sparkle with golden and rosy hues. “I need you to fly me to a place behind that mountain, do you think you can do it?”

Michiru’s eyes widened in surprise. “What??”

“I will guide you.” He was quick to add, looking at Michiru with piercing resolve in those ancient green eyes. “It will be easier if you carry me on your back.”

She hesitated. Michiru wasn’t sure whether she had the stamina to cover such a distance with a passenger, but Shirou showed no signs of doubt in those olive gems. He clearly believed in her. “What about the BLF?”

“They can’t track us in the air, and I’ll make sure nobody is following us.” Shirou then offered Michiru a small smile, extending his gloved hand. “Do you trust me?”

For a moment, the young tanuki stared at his palm in a conflicted manner. Thankfully, however, it didn’t take long for her to give in to the man’s alluring gaze. She slowly grabbed his hand and breathed out her final decision. “With my life.”

Now, roughly an hour later, Michiru found herself circling the colossal mountain with slow wing beats, carefully maneuvering among the gusts of wind as she looked at the forest below. She could already feel her muscles aching. Her body wasn’t used to keeping limbs morphed for such a long time, let alone for an activity as strenuous as flying. On top of it all, she wasn’t used to carrying a passenger on her back either, especially not Shirou, due to her small frame. At least Michiru was able to use her shapeshifting abilities to make herself bigger.

It was still a very strange position to be in, however, considering Shirou was literally riding on her back.

“See the river? It leads to that small clearing.” He leaned closer to Michiru’s ear and pointed down. She tried her best to ignore how close their faces were. “Let’s land there.”

Michiru nodded, angling her wings and preparing for descent. Her features twisted in concentration as the rode the winds in a downward spiral. The air’s resistance pushed against her body and strained her already sore muscles, especially when a sudden gust hit her on the chest. The wind, ever so ferocious, felt like a wild beast bucking under Michiru’s body. She had to tame it using only her delicate feathers, seeking the right angles and maneuvers in order to maintain her control. It was no easy feat, but years of practice were on her side.

Thankfully, Michiru managed to keep the turbulence to a minimum and backwinged to a slow, smooth landing on the little secluded clearing. Shirou hopped off with a grunt, while the girl morphed back to her usual tanuki form with a loud, pained gasp. A strong pang of dizziness sent her down to her knees, panting.

“Are you alright?” Shirou walked towards Michiru and crouched down by her side, concern evident on his features.

“Y-Yeah.” She removed her goggles and coughed bile on the dirt floor. Transforming back had felt like a punch to the stomach, rendering Michiru completely out of breath. “Just… just give me a second, ok?”

Shirou frowned. “See, this is why you don’t skip breakfast.” He deadpanned with a disgruntled huff, to which Michiru rolled her eyes. Still, she didn’t argue with him, knowing too well Shirou was right. She had been stubborn again and refused to eat before leaving the Co-op. As someone who had always been involved with sports, Michiru should have known better than going for an intense activity on an empty stomach.

It took a few minutes for her to feel well enough to stand up again. With the dizziness mostly gone, Michiru was able to take her first proper look at their location.

From high up in the sky, the view had been gorgeous. The sea of trees formed a thick blanket of vibrant greens, browns and yellows, extending around the whole mountain with little to no gaps of exposed ground. Consequently, the clearing Michiru had landed on stood out like a round scar among the densely packed trees. It was barren and unremarkable.

“Why are we here, Shirou?” She looked to her left, where her companion had crouched down to stuff his white jacket in their backpack. After fiddling with the bag’s contents for a moment, he produced two apples and tossed them at Michiru. She barely had enough time to react, but still managed to catch the fruits thanks to her quick reflexes.

“There, these should keep you from passing out for a while.” He grumbled, zipping the bag closed before standing up. “We have a long walk ahead of us.”

“We do?” Michiru blinked in surprise.

“Of course. This isn’t the right place.” After putting on the backpack, Shirou pointed at a spot much higher and further away on the rising mountainside, where a soft, cloudy mist obscured the sloped woods. The sight made Michiru’s eyes widen into saucers. “ _That_ is the right place.”

“ _What_?!” Michiru’s hair and tail bristled dramatically. “Why didn’t you tell me earlier? I could have taken us there!”

Shirou remained unfazed by the tanuki’s outburst and simply stared at her with an impassive, emotionless expression. “I have my reasons.” He said cryptically. “But mostly, it’s because the place I’m taking you is… _important_ , and I don’t want to risk leading anyone straight to it.” He turned around and started walking towards the trees. It took Michiru a few seconds to realize she was supposed to follow him. “This forest is too dense for anyone to follow us from above.”

“Wait, I thought you were watching out for anyone following us on the way here.” She pried once she caught up with Shirou, her eyes looking fearful for a moment. “Did you see anyone?”

“No, but we can never be too careful.” He paused to help Michiru step over a couple of slippery, mossy rocks. “Besides, I could tell you wouldn’t hold onto your form for much longer. You looked burned out.”

“… I guess…” Michiru let out a defeated sigh. “Just… go easy on me. It’s been a while since I’ve gone hiking.” Shirou gave her a silent, respectful nod, then turned around and resumed leading the way. The girl looked again at the spot he had pointed out and, with a series of very nasty curses echoing in her mind, walked closely behind Shirou, munching on an apple on the way.

From then on, the duo climbed up the mountainside mostly in silence, although Michiru made sure to make her increasing annoyance known by groaning, grunting and sometimes whining at particularly difficult obstacles.

It hadn’t taken long at all for Shirou’s secrecy to get under Michiru’s skin. As they trekked through the dense foliage, she tried multiple times to draw answers out of him, all in vain. At worst, his response would be animalistic grunts, and at best, it would be a vague “you will see when we get there”. She eventually gave up and merely stayed a few steps behind to glare a hole through Shirou’s spine.

However, there was a good side to the silence. The lack of conversations allowed Michiru to shift her attention to their surroundings, tuning her senses with the environment in the same way she did while flying. The symphony of chirping songbirds, the earthy scents carried by the breeze, the feeling of mossy bark under her paw pads… Michiru slowly took in every small detail, reading the forest little by little.

As time passed by, the lack of nourishment started taking its toll on Michiru’s body again. Now and then she would feel horribly lightheaded, sore and winded, especially after they crossed a very steep, rocky area. On the other hand, Shirou barely broke a sweat at all, nor expressed the slightest hint of fatigue on his neutral features. The way he brushed off even the most difficult of obstacles was beyond tantalizing to the tanuki.

Still, Shirou was paying attention. Whenever he thought Michiru was struggling too much, he would call for a break and sit down with her for a few minutes. She appreciated the gesture, even taking the opportunity to eat more snacks she had brought in the bag for an energy boost.

To their relief, over time Michiru gradually found her ailments easier to ignore in favor of observing the world around her. It certainly helped that the hiking had been surprisingly pleasant so far, with the dense treetops providing plenty of shade from the morning sun, and a draft of cool mountain air constantly blowing through the foliage. Had they left the Co-op a while later, they would probably have been caught in the midday heat.

Suddenly, a light rustle made Michiru’s ears twitch. She looked up to find a grey squirrel running across a branch right above her head. It looked down at the girl with big, beady eyes, as if puzzled by the strange two-legged animal, before leaping off the branch, unfolding a pair of large skin flaps and gliding away. Michiru stared after it in awe. Squeaks echoing among the leaves told her the squirrel wasn’t alone.

The longer she focused on her surroundings, the more Michiru realized how much that forest brimmed with life. She kept her ears perked up and alert, carefully listening to the trees bending and rustling to the wind. Colorful petals of a nearby blooming bush landed on her hair, while her canine nose picked up the sweet scent of flowers.

Birds of all kinds sang in the background, sometimes gathering around the tanuki with curious chirps. She smiled and tried to mimic their sounds with whistles, giggling cheerfully whenever some of them chirped back. She was sure she spotted a nest or two as well.

Michiru grinned. She could feel a youthful mirth bubbling in her chest. It was the same excitement she felt as a child, back when the whole world was still new and waiting to be explored.

And she wasn’t the only one enjoying the hiking.

It eventually came to her attention that something about Shirou had changed. He looked… lighter on his feet, with relaxed shoulders and peaceful features. In one of their breaks, Michiru went looking for him to offer a water bottle, only to find Shirou standing in a corner with a little white butterfly on his finger. He observed it with a small, but genuine smile on his lips before watching the delicate insect flutter away.

His smile vanished when he realized he wasn’t alone, and that Michiru had the biggest, smuggest smirk stamped on her face.

Frowning, Shirou crossed his arms and sent her a warning glare. It was impossible to take it seriously, though, with the butterfly having flown back to perch on top of his head. “What are you smirking for?” He growled.

“Oh, me? Nothing!” Michiru couldn’t help but giggle. She stepped closer to Shirou and raised her hand to his head, gently letting the butterfly climb on one of her fingers. “I’m just admiring your soft side.” She showed him the insect and walked away to place it on a nearby flower.

Shirou huffed. “You look well rested, so let’s keep moving.” He hastily made his way past Michiru and towards their backpack, grumbling curses under his breath as he slung it on his shoulders. She found his behavior amusing, but chose not to pester the man further.

They continued trekking for a while, listening quietly to the peaceful ambience of woods as their minds wandered. A quick glance at her smartphone showed that they had been hiking for two hours, which surprised Michiru. She wondered how much longer this would take, considering the weather was getting hotter. The back of her tank top was already drenched with sweat, and Michiru didn’t want to imagine how much harder this journey would be under the heat of a high sun.

Suddenly, Shirou halted to a full stop, which almost resulted in Michiru bumping on his back. She frowned, but before she could question her friend, he raised a hand in a quiet command to listen. “We are almost there.” He explained, taking off the backpack and handing it to his companion. “But this part will be a little more challenging.”

Michiru grabbed the bag and looked around. Hundreds of mossy, ancient looking boulders littered the ground all over the mountainside, some of them as large as a house. With the place being much steeper, there were spots where such rocky patches formed unclimbable walls among the trees. It must have been the result of countless rockslides throughout the mountain’s lifespan.

“Define ‘challenging’.” Michiru observed as Shirou approached a boulder almost twice his size. The thick layer of moss covering its surface made it look like it had melted onto the lush vegetation beneath, becoming one with the mountain. After poking around its edges for a bit, Shirou moved to another similarly sized boulder and repeated the process. “I mean, it can’t be much worse than the way here, right?”

Shirou paused for a few seconds to stare at Michiru a with strange, unreadable glint in his eyes, as if mentally weighting his options for an answer. In the end, he shook his head and decided against saying anything, which made Michiru very suspicious. He turned back to his mysterious task at hand, pushing the rock a little and narrowing his eyes.

Puzzled, Michiru opened her mouth to say something, but quick closed it when her friend suddenly morphed into his wolf form, placed both hands on the boulder and pushed hard on it, gritting his teeth. His superhuman strength had no trouble overcoming the object’s weight, and soon the large rock was sliding aside with a harrowing groan. Behind it, a narrow, pitch black gap was unveiled. A gelid breeze blew out of it, like the ominous breathing of an entombed beast. The sight made Michiru’s pupils tighten into pinholes.

“Quick, Michiru!” Shirou grunted, still holding the large boulder so it wouldn’t slide back in place. “Go inside!”

“W-What?!” She felt every hair on her body standing on end at the mere thought of squeezing through that dark fissure on the mountain wall. It sounded absurd. “Are you crazy?? There’s no way I’m going in there!”

“ _Trust me._ ” He hissed. “I’ll be right behind you, now go!”

Conflicted thoughts swarmed the tanuki’s mind. She glanced back and forth between Shirou and the shadowed opening several times, hesitating for another moment. Thankfully, the confidence and warmth in those pale green eyes were the push Michiru needed to throw caution in the wind and run into the narrow passage. Darkness swallowed her whole in its pitch-black embrace.

The opening led to a tunnel only wide enough for one person at a time. Michiru heard a loud scraping noise behind her, and the last hints of sunlight were smothered out like a flame. Claustrophobia immediately chilled the blood in her veins. Even after morphing her eyes into cat’s, she couldn’t see anything.

“S-Shirou?” She could feel the rocky walls of the tunnel brushing on her shoulders as she turned around, no longer able to tell where she was facing in the darkness.

Suddenly, a voice boomed right behind her ears. “I’m here.”

Michiru jumped with a startled squeak, which resulted in her head hitting something with a loud _smack_. A masculine pained grunt made her realize it had been Shirou’s chin. “Oh, Shirou! I’m so sorr-”

“It’s ok.” He cut in with a soft, rumbling tone while rubbing his aching jaw. “Can you light up the way?”

A pang of annoyance hit Michiru upon realizing she had completely forgotten about her bioluminescence abilities. After mentally smacking herself, she closed her eyes and focused on unlocking the powerful energy contained deep within her body, then channeled it towards her bushy tail. In the matter of a second, a soft blue glow came to life and surrounded the two beastmen in the cramped space of the tunnel. Michiru smiled in relief, happy to see her friend’s face again.

They walked forward, this time with Shirou closely behind Michiru. It felt odd to be leading the way into a place she didn’t know, especially when it looked like a literal void. Now and then, the tunnel would narrow further into a tight fissure in the rock, forcing the duo to squeeze through. Other obstacles included climbing down a small pit, stepping over collapsed boulders and carefully traversing a patch of loose rocks.

The farther and farther they went, the more claustrophobic Michiru felt. The light she provided did little to soothe her anxiety as the rocky walls pulsated and shifted in the shadows, always moving in the corners of her eyes. In a way, it felt like Michiru was inside a monster’s giant maw, which could snap closed at any second and swallow her whole. A shudder ran down the girl’s spine at the mental image.

At least it didn’t take much longer for the tunnel to grow wider and easier to walk through. Michiru was relieved when there was enough room for Shirou to walk by her side and take the lead again. Being able to look at him and smell his scent helped calm down her nerves.

Suddenly, while Michiru warily looked around the runnel, something caught her eye and made her stop in her tracks. Shirou quickly noticed the lack of footsteps and turned to her with a questioning look. When he followed her gaze to the wall on their left, his eyes shone in realization.

The rocky surface of the wall was covered in smudges of black and white paint. The rustic, but intricate patterns were apparently made with finger strokes, forming a wide landscape with mountains lining the horizon of a glimmering sea. White dots detailed the snowy peaks and seemed to glow under Michiru’s blue light, while black blotches made a heavily forested island stand out in front of the mountains.

Her eyes widened in recognition. _That’s the island where Anima City was built._

She faced the tunnel again with renewed interest. Suddenly, her tail’s glow became twice as bright, inundating the whole place in its light. Shirou covered his eyes with a light hiss, but Michiru paid him no mind. She had already run far ahead to check on the next drawings. This time, they depicted a couple of little humanoid figures with animal heads and stars on their chests. Michiru identified a wolf, a rabbit and a ram, all wearing long garbs that reminded her of togas. Judging from their size, they represented children running after each other.

From then on, the further Michiru walked into the tunnel, the more paintings covered its walls. They made her gawk in a child-like stupor, the fear clawing at her mind now overtaken by awe and excitement. She couldn’t help but feel like an explorer finding one treasure after the other. Shirou, who kept following the tanuki a few steps behind, didn’t look as involved, however. His gaze was wary and tense.

Eventually, the tunnel opened into a wide chamber, and Michiru felt yet another cold breeze ominously blowing through the darkness. Where it came from was still a mystery.

Still, she ignored it and headed straight for the walls, looking for more rustic drawings of a time long gone. A big grin curled Michiru’s lips when she spotted a particularly big cluster of them. Wolf headed figures accompanying feral sheep herds. Hills blooming with colorful blotches under a sunset. A starry night adorned with dozens of constellations. A simple little house under the shade of a willow tree. An elegant city filled with beastmen of all kinds. Human figures brandishing spears and shields…

_Wait._

The tanuki’s glowing tail flickered as her jovial features twisted into a frown. Something tugged at the back of her mind… something _bad_. Slowly, Michiru raised a hand to the wall and carefully touched its surface, only now realizing that the black paint wasn’t actually _black._ The blue light merely made it seem so.

Her canine nose twitched at a faint, aged scent of copper in the air.

_Dried blood._

Gasping, Michiru jumped back as if the wall had turned red-hot under her fingers. Her wide eyes took a long look over its entirety, taking in the painted scenes in their real colors for the first time. _There was so much red._

Human figures brandishing spears and shields charged towards the elegant city.

Beastman figures, both big and small, ran for their lives in front of a curtain of fire.

A crowd of beastman figures faced against human ones, only to end up impaled by a rain of spears. The sparkling stars adorning their chests were extinguished.

_Red covered everything, everywhere._

Michiru brought a hand over her mouth when she spotted _him_. A little wolfman bravely standing before an army of human warriors. She knew perfectly well who that wolf was supposed to be and, upon seeing the spear piercing his star shaped heart, she felt a sharp ache strike her own. The world around Michiru vanished as she stared at the final black and red painting, where the little wolf laid impaled in the middle of a myriad starless corpses. The scent of blood was much stronger there, showing that the rock had received many coatings of the substance.

A loud groan snapped Michiru out of her daze. She turned to her side and spotted Shirou at the other side of the chamber, once again pushing a heavy boulder with his bare hands. There was some resistance at first, but after a few hard shoves from Shirou’s shoulder, the lumbering rock finally moved from its resting place and slowly rolled over, revealing an arching passage framing the outside world. Warm sunlight immediately beamed in and bathed the chamber in its golden glow. Michiru’s bioluminescence was no longer necessary.

“Uhm, Shirou?” She asked meekly as her tail’s light faded away. Now, without the interference of the blue light, the drawings’ red colors truly stood out. “What _is_ this place?”

The look Shirou gave her was charged with emotion, although Michiru couldn’t put her finger on which, exactly. It seemed to switch every time she blinked, from somber, to angry, to pained, and lastly, to serene. Sighing, he leaned back on the boulder he had just moved, using a hand to gesture towards the entirety of the chamber. “This is my den.”

“Your den?” It was then Michiru took her first proper look at the small cave. Until now, the tanuki had been so fixated on the rustic art decorating its walls, she completely missed everything else that filled the place. Pale woolen sheets were strewn everywhere, covering unknown objects of varying sizes. It was easy to mistake those for natural rock formations when the cave was still overtaken by shadows, but now, with the aid of sunlight, it resembled the room of a stereotypical haunted house.

Shirou stepped away from the entrance and grabbed one of the sheets. “Here, help me take these off.” He instructed before pulling on it, unveiling a small barrel. Michiru, who was still stunned by the strange place, silently complied.

One by one, the dusty sheets revealed pieces of the history behind that humble home. Animal skins of all kinds and colors covered the rocky floor, which gave it a pleasant soft texture. There were spots on the walls where stone had been carved away, forming rough shelves that stored half-melted candles, handmade tools and other trinkets Michiru couldn’t identify. She also caught sight of a simple straw bed placed on a corner, two wooden benches and a few small chests.

The setting reminded Michiru of illustrations depicting a caveman’s home. It was rustic, but cozy, especially when Shirou lit up some of the candles.

Michiru walked over to one of the shelves and ran her fingers over a small, beautifully sculpted wooden wolf. Its head was angled up in a silent howl. “Did you make all of… this?” There was genuine awe in her voice, though her contained tone made it obvious she was holding back a lot more questions.

“You could say that.” Shirou, who had just put the folded-up sheets away, turned to stare at one of the drawings on the furthermost wall. It depicted another view of the elegant city buzzing with beastmen, which Michiru assumed was Nirvasyl. “I’ve lived long enough to watch the world around me change countless times. Each time, it became more complex and advanced. The technology we have now would be seen as witchcraft only a century ago, imagine even further back…” Sighing, the wolfman dragged a bench closer and heavily sat on it. “There are days when Anima City is simply too much, and I feel the urge to return to my simpler roots for a while… so I come here.”

Realization suddenly struck Michiru, making her frown. “Wait, then does that mean… all those times you went missing for a week or two…?” Shirou gave her an affirming nod, which led to Michiru placing both hands on her hips in an incredulous manner. “You were here the whole time?!”

Shirou scoffed. “Not the whole time, I have other dens hidden all over the mountains.”

The girl’s frowning features twisted into a full scowl. Every time Shirou went missing mysteriously, she would be worried out of her mind, fearing something bad had happened to her friend while everyone else insisted she should drop it. Then, when he finally returned, Michiru would get no answers for his whereabouts. To know Shirou was merely out on a little “vacation” of sorts while she stressed over his potential demise was infuriating.

“Why didn’t you tell me? You have no idea how worried it makes me whenever you disappear like that!”

Her sudden spike in temper was immediately smothered when Shirou flashed a warning glare, pale green irises suddenly becoming icy cold. Following her instincts, Michiru pinned her ears down in submission and backed a few steps, looking away.

“I don’t have to tell you everything about my life, Michiru.”

Each of Shirou’s words stung with the sharpness of a knife, causing the tanuki to flinch. She felt anger bubbling in her veins from such a blunt statement, but, at the same time, part of her agreed with Shirou. As much as she wished for them to be close friends, that wasn’t something anyone should force on him.

“Then why did you bring me here?” She asked in a frustrated voice. To her surprise, Shirou’s visage softened again, becoming more heartfelt.

“You needed to get out of that place, just like I do sometimes.” He pointed out. “If you stayed there any longer, you would have ended up destroying yourself.”

“Hey, it wasn’t that bad.” Michiru stubbornly crossed her arms, which earned a very unimpressed, half-lidded look from Shirou.

“It worked, though, didn’t it?”

Michiru blinked. “What?”

A small smile tugged at Shirou’s canine lips. “You were really enjoying yourself on the way here. I haven’t seen you look that happy in a while.”

The tanuki opened her mouth to retort, but quickly realized he was right. The hiking had been incredibly pleasant even though she didn’t feel well for a good portion of it. Leaving the rush of civilization to return to the arms of Mother Nature felt oddly liberating, especially when it came to her beastman side. Every time Michiru breathed in the fresh mountain air or interacted with the forest’s natural wonders, she felt animal instincts buried deep within her body stirring to life. It was surprisingly revitalizing.

For the first time since the university bombing, Michiru felt like she _belonged_ somewhere once again.

_Was this how Shirou felt whenever he came to this place?_

A bolt of epiphany suddenly hit Michiru. She looked at her surroundings, taking in every little detail of the humble abode Shirou called his den. All the paintings on the walls seemed to depict an era long gone, while the rustic, handmade objects decorating the cave made Michiru feel like she had entered a time capsule.

Michiru recalled his words from a minute ago. _I feel the urge to return to my simpler roots for a while._

Just like she struggled to fit in a world of beastmen and humans, Shirou seemed to occasionally struggle to fit in the present time. It was hard for Michiru to imagine what it must have been like to live as long as he did, absorbing changing societies, technologies, beliefs, and so on. Shirou stood out as a walking relic in an ever-changing world, unable to properly connect with it due to his immortal nature.

It wouldn’t surprise Michiru if Shirou’s little hideout was a desperate attempt to reconnect with the only world he was familiar with. The only time and place Shirou felt like he belonged to. The _past_.

Michiru felt her stomach sink. She shouldn’t have been so quick to dismiss Shirou’s breaks as measly vacations. If anything, he was on the same boat as her. They were two freaks of nature trying to figure out their place in life.

It’s about time they worked together to help each other.

“… yeah, I think I’m feeling better.” She offered Shirou a warm smile. Then, to his shock, Michiru walked over to him and gave his cheek a quick, thankful kiss. It barely lasted a millisecond, but the spot on his skin tingled and heated up for a good while. “Thanks, Shirou. I really appreciate it.

Dumbfounded, Shirou cleared his throat and looked away. Michiru had been getting better at catching him off guard lately, and the awkward male wasn’t sure how to deal with that. That little kiss on the cheek had been a big enough spark to light his whole body on fire, making the skin under his fur flush a vibrant red.

His flustered state didn’t go unnoticed by Michiru, who did a much better job hiding her awkwardness behind a mask of amusement, giggling softly. “I have a question, though.” She added after a while.

Shirou turned back to her and raised an eyebrow, skeptical. “Only one question?”

“… fine, a lot of questions.” Michiru corrected in a meek voice, to which Shirou groaned tiredly and rubbed his brow. Knowing her, she would spend the rest of the day pestering him for answers.

“Save them for later. We should look for something to eat first.” He rose from his seat and headed for a wooden chest nearby. After brushing some dust off its surface, he opened it and dug through its contents. “You’ve already eaten all the food we brought, and I don’t want to hear you whining about it.”

The wolfman could almost feel Michiru’s offended glare burning a hole on the back of his head. Huffing, she stepped closer to peek at what Shirou was doing. “And how are we going to find food in this place?”

Shirou suddenly turned around and tossed something long and leathery into her hands. Michiru was confused at first, but quickly realized the object was some sort of sheath. There was a beautifully crafted wooden handle sticking out of it, covered in intricate golden engravings resembling vines and leaves. Michiru’s eyes widened as she pulled on it and revealed an elegant, yet deadly looking dagger. Its curved blade reminded her of a predator’s fang.

“Guess.”

Puzzled, Michiru looked up and was surprised to find a smug glint in Shirou’s eyes. Especially as he reached out to grab a wooden spear that had been resting on the wall-

_Oh no._

“You’re kidding.” The longer she stared into those pale green eyes, the more it dawned on her that he wasn’t. Shirou ignored her incredulity, preferring to nonchalantly check the spear’s sharpness by thumbing its pointy tip.

“Michiru Kagemori, it’s time I teach you a thing or two about being a predator.”


	7. Blood Down the Stream

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh hey, look, a new chapter!
> 
> It took almost two months, and I sure as hell hope the 28k words make up for it!
> 
> As I teased in the last chapter, this is easily my favorite part of the whole story. It's essentially a fluff bomb, but also a rollercoaster. I'm really curious(and scared) to see your feedback after putting so much work into this. Could I have split this monster of a chapter in smaller ones? Maybe, but in my opinion, that would have ruined the mini-arc Shirou and Michiru go through. Plus, I've always been the kind to write long chapters. Hopefully you will enjoy it regardless of its size. ^^
> 
> Good reading!

It was a peaceful, chilly morning in the mountain woods. A cloudy fog wafted between trees like tendrils of moisture, covering the foliage in a glimmering veil of fresh, crystalline dew. For a lonesome japanese serow stag grazing about, this was the best time of the day. The water droplets made the leaves very refreshing to chew on, and the fog gave him good coverage from potential threats. The small cervid had no reason to fear, anyway, as its natural predators had disappeared from those mountains many decades before it was even born. As a result, its kind had grown more careless over time. Absentminded.

Such mistake would be its demise.

Not too far away from the serow, a crouched figure was hidden among the bushes. His canine nose flared as the incoming breeze carried the stag’s scent, which confirmed his downwind position would remain undetected by the animal. A clawed fist tightened around the curve of a long wooden bow, while his legs tensed up, ready to spring into action.

Right then and there, Shirou was in his element. He wore nothing but his collar and simple leather belt with a quiver attached. From experience, he knew clothes usually only served to get soiled in mud and dirt during a hunt, and often even limited his movements at times when agility was most crucial. Besides, being free of clothing brought a strange, primal spike to his senses, as if breathing new life into instincts deeply engraved on Shirou’s bones.

For a fleeting moment, Shirou was transported back to his native era. He was a youthful wolf beastman silently stalking prey to feed his family, a nomadic clan of merchants. The fog made his surroundings feel like a hazy, distant memory…

He shook his head. Now wasn’t the time to lose himself in daydreams.

Pale olive eyes narrowed with newfound focus. Shirou stared at the serow with the sharpness of a falcon, carefully inching closer as the pads under his digits muffled each step. He halted a good twenty meters from the target, still completely covered by the surrounding shrubs.

In normal circumstances, this would be the point where Shirou leaped out of hiding to tackle the prey, crush its neck in his jaws and snap it with a powerful jolt. However, this wasn’t any ordinary hunt. Today, Shirou was teaching this ancient art to someone else.

He glanced at a spot farther ahead and to the right. Michiru was hiding somewhere in those bushes, just waiting for the right cue to act. The plan was straight to the point: Shirou would wound the serow with an arrow and send it running towards Michiru, and she was to tackle it down so Shirou could deliver the final blow.

It sounded simple enough… except it was far from it. Although Michiru recognized the necessity of hunting, she still stubbornly clung to her pacifist ways with claws of steel.

In the two days they had been staying on the mountain, Shirou took the opportunity to teach Michiru survival skills and important aspects of this simpler, rustic lifestyle… or, as the tanuki put it so eloquently, the _old school_ beastman life. Shirou had rolled his eyes at her choice of words, but it got the point across, nonetheless.

Showing Michiru the ways to live off nature proved to be both challenging and entertaining. At times, her stubbornness would test his patience to its limits. Still, even though she didn’t exactly look forward to doing chores such as foraging and gathering wood, the close contact with the forest had a visibly positive effect on Michiru’s demeanor. Her mood improved greatly from the miserable state Shirou had found her in back at the Co-op. It was especially noticeable in the way she smiled and laughed again, not to mention the playful glint in her beautiful teal eyes. These were simple things Shirou had grown to appreciate more than ever now that they had returned.

There was gratification in teaching her as well. For once, Shirou got to share not only the knowledge he had accumulated over the centuries, but also the ancient ways of his clan. It didn’t matter whether he explained how to start a fire or told long forgotten legends, Michiru always looked interested in hearing more. Excited, even.

That changed as soon as hunting was mentioned, though.

Shirou went easy on her at first, bringing Michiru to a stream where she could practice spearfishing. She was still uncomfortable with the idea of killing the fish herself, but at least the discomfort was far more manageable than if she had to kill a bigger, more expressive creature. The fact she couldn’t spear anything but foliage helped as well, to Shirou’s amusement.

On the second day, Michiru speared her first fish. She was both shocked and horrified at the sight of a wriggling, gasping animal impaled on the wooden tip, but, thankfully, Shirou was quick to help her end its suffering, using a rock to deliver a fatal blow to the head. After that, the tanuki was overwhelmed by a strange, chilling stupor. She stared intensely at the dead fish lying on the pebbly shoreline, as if expecting its ghost to pop out at any second. When Shirou snapped her out of it, Michiru realized her hands had been trembling.

It took a while for the cold, prickling sensation crawling all over her body to wear out. Shirou was understanding, though, and told her to rest while he speared more fish. Later that day, when the duo sat down by the campfire to savor their roasted catch, a new feeling tingled within Michiru’s chest as she tasted the fish she had caught… a lingering sense of pride and respect.

Somehow, having direct contact with the animal prior to its death had made the meat tastier and more fulfilling. There was closure in knowing the fish had served its function in nature, and that its death had been done in a respectful manner. Shirou was relieved in watching Michiru’s features relax with each bite.

Upon waking up on the third day, they hadn’t planned to go hunting at all. Shirou brought his bow and quiver just in case, but he knew the thick mountainous fog was a promise of incoming drizzle. Such dense moisture in the air combined with the poor visibility made for a terrible day to go after prey. However, the opportunity presented itself when, during a foraging walk with Michiru, Shirou spotted the wandering serow from the top of a cliff.

“Get down!” He warned in a hushed voice right before dropping to the ground and yanking a very perplexed Michiru along. They crawled closer to the cliff edge, carefully peeking over it in a way that wouldn’t draw attention to their presence.

To Shirou’s dismay, Michiru’s confusion turned into glee as soon as she laid eyes on the lonesome cervid.

“Oh, It’s so cute!” She whispered, clearly enthralled by how small and fluffy the creature looked. It was easily the kind of animal she would want a plushie toy made after.

Shirou scoffed, deadpanning. “It’s also food.” The outraged look Michiru shot him was completely ignored as he clutched the bow slung over his shoulder. “If we are quick, we can kill it before the fog gets worse.”

“Wait, you can’t be serious.” Michiru pinned her ears back when Shirou’s only reply was a half-lidded, stoic glare. “I don’t want it to die, it’s adorable!”

“We only have one fish left and a bunch of berries.” He whispered matter-of-factly. “You’re going to need something more substantial than that in your stomach during your stay in these woods. The last thing I need is having you nearly pass out at the slightest exercise… _again._ ”

Michiru’s hackles bristled lightly at his comment. “Do it yourself, then! It’s not like you need me to kill it.” Growling, she crawled away from the ledge until it was safe to stand up again without the clueless animal noticing their presence. Shirou followed her with a sigh.

“I don’t, but… I think this is something important for you to learn.”

“ _Why?_ ” Her hushed voice sounded oddly sharp, hinting to the anger and frustration Michiru was currently bottling down. “Why are you so intent in making me _kill_ , of all things, Shirou? I don’t understand!”

He opened his mouth at first, only to close it again and look away. Michiru was right… what was he trying to accomplish, _exactly_? By now, Shirou was more than familiar with her feelings on the matter.

But then he recalled the way Michiru’s features softened upon eating her first caught fish, and the serenity that came right after. The strengthened bond with nature truly shone in her eyes.

“Michiru.” His low voice rumbled between them like thunder, carrying a nearly commanding tone. However, when their eyes met, his green irises looked gentle and caring. “Remember what you told me a while ago? That I won’t always be around to protect you?”

Remorse flashed in Michiru’s eyes as she recalled the exact words she had used. It was obvious Shirou had been mulling them over since then. “Yeah, I remember.”

“You were right.” Such admission made his chest ache a little, but he tried to ignore it. “I… I’m not a real god. I can’t guarantee your safety all the time… _but_.” He met Michiru’s eyes again, this time with much more determination in them “What I _can_ do, is teaching you to be more independent and survive on your own. What if you’re put in a position to run away again?”

“I survived just fine in the mainland for months.” Michiru was quick to add in, huffing stubbornly.

“This time is different. The BLF are in the mainland too and they recognize you both in human and beastman forms.” His point made Michiru’s shoulders sag down almost instantly. “Your best shot would be hiding in the woods, and I probably wouldn’t be able to stay with you then.”

Michiru couldn’t help but gulp down a knot of anxiety blocking her throat. Just imagining a scenario where she would have to run away again, with both humans and beastmen on her tail, was downright terrifying. “Is this why you want me to hunt?”

He gave her a stern nod. “It’s your best chance at survival, and you _know_ that.” Shirou watched a myriad of emotions crossing Michiru’s conflicted face. Something tugged the back of his mind, telling him to back down and be more considerate of Michiru’s feelings. Sighing, he continued. “Look, you don’t need to do the killing yourself, just coming along and helping me catch it is enough. Leave the rest to me.”

She still said nothing at first, seemingly too interested on the grass waving around their feet under the montane breeze. Eventually, Michiru scrunched up her eyebrows and rubbed her temples in an irritable manner. “… fine.” She grumbled.

From then on, they spent a long hour quietly tracking the buck. It had disappeared amidst the thick fog at some point during Michiru and Shirou’s short banter, but at least this was a good learning opportunity for Michiru. She paid close attention as her companion showed ways to read the animal’s footprints, scratches on tree bark, droppings, and other traces left behind, always impressed by the extent of his knowledge. It was surprisingly engaging and almost helped Michiru forget they were about to kill the owner of those tracks... _almost._

Shirou explained that a proper bow hunt would involve letting the game bleed to death as they tracked it down, but he really didn’t want the hassle of searching for it in such a humid, foggy day. The hazy clouds surrounding the trees were gradually thickening into a drizzle. Although moisture usually enhanced scents, too much of it tended to disrupt and mix them, which would either water them down, or saturate the air with an incomprehensible mixture of smells that could give any canine nose a sensory overload. Such conditions were anything but ideal.

With that in mind, Shirou decided the best approach to get this ordeal over with quickly was to have Michiru take the serow down after he shot it. She wasn’t thrilled about it in the slightest. Still, thinking back to her experience killing and eating a fish gave Michiru enough confidence to agree.

Now, both beastmen were perfectly positioned for the ambush. A gust of wind blew in their favor and the fog cleared before Shirou’s eyes, teasing him with a perfect view of the target. There was no hesitation in his movements when he drew an arrow from the quiver, then nocked it on the horizontally held bow. A blueprint of the animal’s internal anatomy materialized in his mind, with the broad arrowhead pointing straight at the lungs.

For a few seconds, an eerie, deadly silence befell the forest. Songbirds halted their chanting, the air stayed still, and the wooden groans of tree trunks came to a stop. It was as if Mother Nature herself was holding her breath in anticipation for what would come. That was Shirou’s cue to let go of the nock.

A mute whistle was the arrow’s only warning before it was buried in fur and flesh. Somehow, the buck’s senses kicked in barely a millisecond away from its doom, result in a flinch that ruined Shirou’s perfect aim. Instead of hitting the lungs, the arrow was deflected by bone and pierced the serow’s gut.

Its sharp, pained bleat shattered the silence of the woods, causing birds to burst out of the treetops in alert. Shirou jumped out of the bushes with another arrow nocked in place. His face locked in a predatory snarl. The noise and sight of the menacing wolfman made the injured serow dart away as fast as it could in the opposite direction, just as Shirou wanted. “Michiru!”

Feline ears perked up at the call. Michiru was crouched low to the ground on all-fours, morphed into a lioness. Instincts took over her senses as soon as the sound of approaching hooves reached her ears, instructing her muscles to tense up like a spring, then release into an explosion of adrenaline. Baring her teeth and claws, she tackled the serow with all her weight and rolled on the ground in a blur of browns and blues. Fur went flying everywhere.

Shirou quickly caught up with them and found Michiru all but hugging the struggling creature with a clawed grip. He helped immobilize its front half by holding it in a headlock, while his companion sat on its lower half with both hind legs held in a firm grip. Only then were they able to take a proper look at the wound. The arrow shaft had snapped in half during the scuffle, leaving the buried portion deeply embedded in muscle and intestines.

“Damnit.” Shirou grunted with a grimace as the small cervid tried to thrash its head out of the head lock, only to meet the wolf’s unrelenting strength. “I missed the target, this won’t do for a quick kill.”

Michiru shot him a concerned look. “What are you gonna do?”

He waited until the serow paused its struggles to catch its breath, then moved a hand down to a sheath in his belt. Michiru’s eyes widened in horror when she recognized the glint of a knife. “I’m going to speed things up.”

Time seemed to slow down when Michiru watched Shirou raise the knife above the panting buck’s chest, ready to plunge the blade into its heart. A million conflicting thoughts flooded her mind, screaming and battling for control over her body in a chaotic tug-of-war. Some told her to look away, others told her to interfere, and the rest blended into a mess of disjointed noises. Her eyes met the serow’s for the briefest of moments, but it was enough to witness the sheer terror and pain in its bulging stare.

The pearly white sclera framed a sinister reflection of Michiru’s own face on those dark irises, akin to a mirror in a haunted house. An image that would permeate many nightmares to come.

“No, don’t!!”

There was a sudden rush of adrenaline and, before she knew it, Michiru’s feline claws had released the buck to grab Shirou’s wrist, holding it in the air in a desperate, iron-like grip. Surprised, Shirou froze in place and stared at her. Michiru looked just as terrified as the prey pinned under him.

That moment of hesitation between them was all it took for the buck to act up again. It violently twisted its body to shove Michiru away, then arched its back and delivered a mighty kick straight to Shirou’s face. A dull, sickening crack echoed in the air when bone crumpled under the impact.

Shirou dropped the knife and covered his snout with both hands, crying out. With its capturers no longer holding it down, the serow immediately jumped to its feet and charged away, vanishing under the thick veils of fog like a ghost. Stunned, the duo could only stare after it in silence, their brains desperately trying to catch up with what had just happened.

Michiru sat up and morphed back into a tanuki, groaning. When she caught sight of Shirou’s nose, however, she felt a strong pang of guilt strike her chest. His canine snout was visibly crooked and bleeding, with the vibrant red color standing out against Shirou’s white fur. Michiru couldn’t help but gasp at the sight.

“Shirou!” She moved closer until she was kneeling in front of him. Without thinking, she reached up and held Shirou’s face in her hands to take a closer look. Once again, he found himself frozen in place, enthralled by those fearful teal irises. “Are you alright?”

Hot pain throbbed across his whole muzzle, but it was only a matter of seconds for it to phase into a tingly numbness Shirou knew too well. He lowered his face and closed his eyes, hissing as the fragmented bones rearranged themselves with a series of pops. It was unpleasant, but painless, just like he had experienced countless times before. “I’m fine.” He breathed out, scowling when he realized all he could smell now was blood.

Watching his healing abilities in action brought mixed feelings to Michiru. On one hand, it was a relief to see Shirou recovering from injuries. On the other, it was a ghastly sight that never failed to send chills down her spine, especially when she felt some of the moving bones ripple under her palms. She could never get used to it even after spending years by Shirou’s side.

“I’m so sorry.” Her hands dropped from Shirou’s cheeks to her lap. “It was all my fault. I don’t know what got over me, I-I just… I couldn’t-” Michiru gritted her teeth, shaking her head in frustration as more words died on her tongue. All that work to hunt the serow ended up wasted thanks to her stupid actions. Michiru instinctively folded her ears down, expecting Shirou to scold her or at the very least make an angry remark.

To her surprise, though, his only response was a soft sigh.

“Forget about it.” Shirou raised a hand to his face and rubbed it tiredly, which consequently smeared blood all over his muzzle. Olive eyes shone with annoyance when he realized his mistake. “It was your first time, I shouldn’t have pushed you this far.”

There was a subtle, but perceptible disappointment in his voice. It buzzed in Michiru’s ears like a pestering wasp and stung her self-confidence, making the girl inwardly cower in shame.

_She had let him down._

“What now?” She asked meekly. “Do we go after it?”

Shirou took a long look at their surroundings. By now, the fog had almost swallowed the whole place in a hazy curtain of moisture, and he could already feel his fur growing damp. Scowling, he reached for the knife on the floor and sheathed it back into his belt. “No.” He grumbled.

The answer seemed to shock Michiru, judging from the incredulous look she gave him. “Wait, what?” She watched Shirou gather up his bow and stand up. “It’s in pain and suffering. Shouldn’t we go help it??”

“It’s not worth it, at least not now.” He gestured towards the misty wisps around them. “We have no visibility, it’s just starting to drizzle, and my nose is full of blood. Tracking it would be a nightmare.” Shirou paused to help Michiru stand up with his free hand, then frowned. “I know it sounds cruel, but it’s best to look for it once the weather clears up.”

Shirou turned around and headed towards the bush he had used as a hiding spot, intending to retrieve their foraging bags. Michiru stayed behind, staring somberly at the place the wounded buck had disappeared into. Towering trees stood around her like watchful sentinels, their presence ever so impassive as dark silhouettes obscured by the wispy fog. They reminded Michiru of ancient, sturdy pillars, as if the whole forest was Mother Nature’s own temple.

A temple Michiru had carelessly disrupted.

Somewhere out there, a mortally wounded animal had been left to die a slow, agonizing death… _and it was all her fault._

As foolish as it sounded, Michiru felt judged by the trees’ inexistent stares. They surrounded her like a pack of wolves, creaking ominously under the increasing humidity. She was cornered. Trapped. Not unlike the prey they had injured.

Sighing, she hugged herself and turned to walk after Shirou. The fine droplets blew past her in a chilly gust that made her body shiver, and for a moment Michiru regretted leaving her jacket at the den. The white tank top she was wearing did little to shield her from the thickening drizzle.

Then again, the gloomy weather couldn’t have fit her mood better.

* * *

With the drizzle persisting throughout the morning, Michiru and Shirou found themselves confined in the cave for a good while. A campfire burned outside, and its position right in front of the entrance allowed a soothing, cozy warmth to flow inside the den. Michiru found that very pleasant as she quietly munched on their last roasted fish.

The way back to the den had been completely silent. Michiru’s thoughts were far too scattered for her to focus on conversations, and Shirou decided against prying in case she needed space. Even now, over an hour since they arrived, not a single word had been exchanged between them. Surprisingly, however, the silence wasn’t tense nor charged with emotions. It was simply… numbing, like an anesthetic.

Perhaps that was part of the forest’s calming effect on her.

Michiru looked at Shirou, who was resting on his makeshift straw bed on the other side of the den. He had covered the rough material with multiple pelts, turning it into an incredibly soft, comfortable mattress. Judging from the long fur and dark grey colors, she easily recognized those as serow pelts. The thought made her grimace.

Still, she tried not to let such notion linger too long by focusing on Shirou. He was still in his wolf form, albeit this time he at least wore pants. On their first day at the mountain, Shirou had warned Michiru he liked to stay morphed and bare whenever he spent time there. Apparently, fully embracing his beastly side helped him reconnect with nature and the ancient practices of his native clan. It made enough sense to Michiru, so she didn’t question it further.

It wasn’t like his nudity in that form bothered her, anyway. Shirou was far too fluffy to expose anything inappropriate, and by now she had grown more than used to the sight.

As Michiru’s eyes swept over his face, she couldn’t help but admire the tranquility on those canine features. Back in Anima City, catching the wolfman in a true relaxed state was a very rare occurrence. Even in his sleep, Shirou would often stay wary and tense, ready to snap his eyes open and jump into action if needed. He never allowed himself a break.

Witnessing the forest’s spell on Shirou brought a small, genuine smile to Michiru’s lips.

It didn’t take long for that warmth in her chest to return. Michiru was so used to it at this point, she sometimes felt _wrong_ without it, as if an important piece of herself had gone missing. To her dismay, however, the warmth wasn’t alone this time. Somewhere in its depths, a tiny, bothersome thorn of guilt prickled her heart. It caused just enough discomfort to annoy her, like a pesky paper cut. Michiru tried her best to ignore it as she picked the last bits of roasted fish with her fingers and ungracefully licked her bowl clean.

The thorn was too persistent, though. Over the following few minutes, it dug deeper until it was impossible to ignore, giving every beat of Michiru’s heart a sharp sting. The warmth in her chest did little to relieve that obnoxious sensation.

Frowning, Michiru pushed the bowl away and shuffled in her spot on the cave floor, leaning against the wall. When she gazed at the dozing wolf again, the thorn stung harder. She could still see traces of blood staining his wolf mane. Spots Shirou had missed when he washed himself.

_What if he secretly regretted bringing her along?_

This whole time, Michiru had been nothing but a bumbling newbie for Shirou to babysit, having to depend on him for every little aspect of this new lifestyle. In a way, she had regressed to her first days in Anima City, back when she was all but clueless about the beastman world, while Shirou made no effort to hide his animosity for her inexperience. At the time, he treated her like a nuisance, a stubborn girl that refused to stay out of his way when he needed most.

Tanuki ears drooped sadly. Staying in Shirou’s way is exactly what ruined their hunt and doomed an animal to a torturous fate.

_She hadn’t changed much in these five years, had she?_

Her relationship with Shirou had matured and grown stronger with time. Nowadays, although they still bickered constantly, he knew her well enough to be patient and careful with his choice of words… well, at least for the most part, that is.

Sometimes, though, Michiru found herself questioning whether she _deserved_ such attention from the wolfman. After all, she still felt like a nuisance to him. Now more than ever, considering the earlier incident.

_It looked like she was useless even in her beast form, now._

Suddenly, Michiru clutched her head in both hands and cut her own thoughts off with a growl. The reason why Shirou had brought her to that den in the first place was to relieve her from the destructive influence of her own self-loathing. Allowing its poison to course in her veins again would render his efforts a waste of time.

Even worse, it would be a complete disregard for Shirou’s rare display of care.

Michiru scowled at herself. She recalled inquiring Shirou about his decision to bring her to the den on the first day, wondering how he could take such a sudden break when he had a job and responsibilities back at the city. To her surprise, Shirou explained that he had spent the previous week doing extra work both for the mayor and the Horners to earn his leave. They would be fine staying at the mountain for six days, although Barbara was ready to send Kuro over if an emergency came up.

The idea of him going through such extents to provide her a few days of peace made Michiru speechless with awe. Only a few years ago, she would never have believed Shirou could willingly do something like that. Especially not for _her_ , of all people. She was just a nosy tanuki girl who had barged into his life and turned it upside down…

Michiru flicked her eyes up to gaze at Shirou’s sleeping form once more. A new thought slipped into her mind and prodded the back of her skull with newfound realization.

Shirou had changed. _A lot_.

In fact, now that she thought about it, Michiru probably didn’t show enough appreciation for everything Shirou had been doing for her, lately. He came to her aid when she was plagued by night terrors. He comforted her at the hospital during a panic attack. He cleaned and nursed her wounds regardless of her whining. He took her to the most remote place when misery and isolation overtook her mind.

_And he welcomed her into his arms every night._

Michiru’s lips curled. It was hard to imagine how much willpower it must have taken for Shirou to push aside his boundaries just to keep her company at night. And yet, in the past two months since their precious unspoken agreement started, he kept doing this again and again, increasingly adapting his personal space to welcome Michiru further in it. That had been no easy feat for a literal lone wolf like Shirou.

The warmth in Michiru’s chest, which had mostly dimmed by now, sparked back to life as a memory roused in her mind. The image of a human Shirou pulling her into a hug after treating her healing wounds, scaring off the pestering insecurities plaguing her mind with soft spoken, reassuring words.

_You’re far from useless, Michiru._

Maybe that was why that pesky little thorn of guilt kept bothering Michiru. She had been taking his efforts for granted, stagnating in her own comfort zone while Shirou did all the work in their dynamic. Instead of sulking, she should have returned the favor.

With that in mind, the young tanuki rose to her feet and walked towards a small bench where she had left their backpack on. She dug through its contents, mainly her clothes and other essential items, until she produced a hairbrush from its depths. The brush’s bristles were stiff and tightly packed. Ideal for a shedding beastman.

She approached Shirou, whose position on the bed hadn’t moved at all this whole time. He was lying on his back with his arms crossed behind his head. To most people, Shirou would seem deep asleep, but Michiru knew better. Even if the forest’s spell had made Shirou more relaxed, those wolf ears were still very sensitive and alert. Michiru bit down on her lip and sneaked up to the bed, kneeling on the improvised straw mattress right behind Shirou’s head.

The air became thick with tension as Michiru watched for any signs of awareness from the napping wolfman, but, besides a little ear twitch, there were none. She reached for Shirou’s face, only to halt her hands in midair in a moment of reluctance and bashfulness. Ignoring the heat spreading over her cheeks and ears proved to be a challenge, and Michiru had to take a few deep breaths before garnering enough courage to continue.

After slipping both hands under Shirou’s head, she shuffled forward and gently placed it on top of her lap. His body stiffened immediately, which told Michiru he was very, _very_ awake now even though his eyes hadn’t opened yet. Still, she chose to ignore it and proceeded to comb through Shirou’s thick wolf mane with her hairbrush.

Feeling those soft locks of fur on her paw pads was incredibly soothing. With each brush stroke, Michiru’s anxieties dissolved into a numbing sense of tranquility, and her flustered features gradually turned into a serene visage. Given their recent walk in the woods, there were burs and knots tangled in Shirou’s fur as well. Michiru tried to be as gentle as possible while removing those, though one knot was particularly challenging. The tanuki had been trying to untangle it for a minute or two when the silence around her was suddenly broken by a low, rumbling voice.

“Michiru.” Shirou didn’t open his eyes. His peaceful, emotionless expression could very well be mistaken for someone still lost to the land of dreams. “What do you think you’re doing?”

“Uhm… brushing you?” She said sheepishly. “I thought you might like it. Should I stop?”

“… no.”

There was a pause and, for a while, as she kept combing through Shirou’s thick locks, Michiru wondered if he had somehow dozed off again. Either way, it was easy to lose herself to the activity once more, letting the softness and warmth of Shirou’s pelt lull her into a nearly sleepy daze. The chilly weather made it all the more inviting. Soon enough, Michiru was absentmindedly humming an unknown song under her breath.

She was so immersed in brushing Shirou, in fact, that Michiru almost jumped off her skin when she suddenly found pale green eyes looking straight into hers. Their intensity bore into her very soul, leaving nothing untouched nor unturned as it searched for _something_ into those glimmering teal depths. Time seemed to freeze as both beastmen stayed perfectly still, locked into an unyielding staring contest that rendered them oblivious to the rest of the world. When Shirou finally broke the silence, his voice was slow and calculated.

“You usually play with my fur when something is bothering you.” The comment made Michiru turn her face away to hide a growing blush. “Do you want to talk about it?”

 _Did she?_ She pursed her lips in a pensive expression. She was currently too tired of gnawing on her guilt and self-loathing, wishing for nothing but a break in the comfort of Shirou’s soft mane. Sure, Michiru knew fully well that pushing such problems aside wasn’t effective. Those pestering thoughts were bound to return even stronger later, ready to corner her conscience into a dark corner like a cowering, terrified prey. Michiru was more than familiar with how these vicious cycles of emotional suppression worked.

Still, right now she was desperate for a change of pace. If indulging in a little break by combing Shirou’s luscious fur meant having to deal with her demons another time, so be it.

“Later.” She sighed, putting the hairbrush aside to gently dig her fingers into his scalp, scratching a spot she knew well. Shirou’s reaction was immediate. His once invasive eyes softened into a mellow gaze and closed, followed by a long breath of bliss. The sight never failed to make Michiru smile.

Time slowly passed by, though its presence went all but unnoticed by the duo. They were too immersed in each other’s warm presence to pay attention to such thing, even as the drizzle coating the forest outside finally came to a stop, and the fog cleared up to reveal a mostly cloudy day. By then, Michiru had finished ridding Shirou’s pelt of burs and stubborn knots, turning his fur as smooth as silk. It felt wonderful between her fingers, if not _irresistible._ She couldn’t stop stroking his head and neck just to savor the sensation.

On the other side of the mattress, a wolf tail lazily tapped on the ground, letting Michiru know Shirou was certainly enjoying her caresses. He found himself stuck in the realm between conscious and unconscious, as if being perpetually on the brink of falling asleep. In this rare, but pleasant state of relaxation, Shirou’s thoughts wandered freely in little fragments, too scattered to bother him or cause any proper distractions. Now and then, there would be a tug at his mind as if trying to draw his attention to something important, but Shirou easily ignored the feeling, choosing instead to focus on Michiru’s skilled fingers.

With time, however, that strange tugging grew stronger. His brows creased in confusion, trying to make sense of the sensation… until Shirou’s sleepy mind realized it wasn’t coming from his thoughts. Something was _physically_ tugging on his head. More specifically, the fur lining his scalp. The tugs happened in strange patterns as well, vaguely reminding Shirou of-

Suddenly, his eyes snapped open and aimed at Michiru. Her face held a focused expression as she carefully separated a silky lock from the rest of Shirou’s mane and fumbled with it.

“Are you _braiding_ my fur?” Shirou’s incredulous voice seemed to startle the tanuki out of her own reveries. She gave him a sheepish look and cleared her throat.

“… maybe.”

Shirou’s half-lidded glare showed a mix of mild annoyance and bafflement. Brushing his fur was fine, but having Michiru treat him like a doll at an imaginary hair salon was a completely different matter. “Undo them. _Now_.”

“Oh, come on, Shirou.” She whined lightly, burying her hands into the thick layers of fur surrounding his neck. “You haven’t even seen what they look like!”

His skin rippled with shivers under her touch as she stroked his neck. It was obvious she was using Shirou’s weakness to get her way, and by the heavens was it hard to resist her touch. Shirou grunted when she rubbed an especially pleasant spot under his jaw.

“And then what’s next? Tying little bows on my fur, too?” He scoffed. “I’m not a little lap dog for you to pamper up.”

Michiru chuckled at the mental image the comment roused. “You _are_ a lap dog right now, though.” Her chuckles turned into full laughter once she saw the outraged look on his face.

Shirou gritted his teeth and turned his face away with a huff, visibly unamused by Michiru’s remark. Grinning, the girl merely continued combing her fingers through his fur.

“Don’t be such a drama queen.” She ignored the burning glare Shirou sent her way from the corner of an eye. It was hard to take it seriously with his tail still wagging, anyway. “Just trust me for once, will you? I promise I’ll remove them if you don’t like it.”

Shirou grumbled a curse under his breath. His inability to say “no” both confused and frustrated him… was he getting soft? Growling lightly, Shirou shut his eyes and tried his hardest to ignore the familiar, tingling warmth spreading over his chest and neck.

That clearly would be as good a permission as Michiru would get from the grumpy male, so she proceeded with her strokes on his mane. Nimble, padded fingers carefully dug into the white and teal fur, separating multiple locks and slowly tying them into little braids with cuts of string Michiru kept in her pocket. They were leftovers from last night, when she cut strings to help Shirou repair a few tools. After running out of strings, she settled with simply stroking Shirou’s scalp, jawline and neck.

Time slowed down into a crawl yet again between the two friends, with Shirou’s annoyed features slowly relaxing back into peaceful expression. Seeing him grow comfortable brought Michiru relief and allowed her own mind to relax as well. It wandered freely, focusing on menial details about the environment around them. The soft whistle of a breeze blowing inside the den, the rustling trees outside, a lonely hummingbird passing by the cave entrance…

But then Michiru’s mind wandered to stranger musings.

Her eyes flicked down to observe the way Shirou’s chest moved up and down with each breath, paying close attention to how well defined his torso looked even under his thick pelt. She also recalled following Shirou into the forest to forage for berries and silently admiring his broad, muscular back and chiseled limbs. _Truly the physique of a god_.

Fresh, hot blood flowed into her cheeks and ears when Michiru realized what she was doing. Shaking her head, she mentally scolded herself for having such thoughts. Back at school, she was never the kind of girl to chase after boys and romance in general, for she was too focused on her passion for sports. The last thing she needed now was to become one of those infatuated, thirsty schoolgirls that always made her roll her eyes.

However, she couldn’t ignore the fact she had been catching herself staring longingly at Shirou’s body more and more often. It was easy to brush it off as part of their strengthening relationship, especially given their habit of cuddling and sleeping together. Surely, it was all just a matter of Michiru longing for his company. Nothing else.

_… right?_

Michiru looked down at his peaceful face, now stroking a spot behind his ears. The tranquility in his visage was a sight only reserved to a select few people in his life, possibly even in his entire lifetime. Everyone else would either see a face of stoicism, or the image of death itself. Michiru’s heart thumped harder against her ribcage, aching as it fought its confinement like a wild beast, when she realized what a privilege she had been given. Those same hands that cradled her body so gently at night had brutally clawed the life out of countless enemies over the centuries.

Suddenly, the air around Michiru filled with a strange static. It made her skin tingle and spread little currents of electricity to the tips of her fingers. Puzzled, she gazed at her surroundings in search of a cause for that bizarre sensation, but she saw nothing.

Oddly enough, she quickly found that each touch on Shirou’s fur seemed to fire up all her nerve endings with warmth, which, in turn, fueled the flames gradually dominating her chest again. When Michiru looked back down at Shirou, another fleeting thought invaded her mind as she affectionately ran her fingers down his jawline.

_I could very well lean down and kiss him right now._

Michiru froze in place. Her teal eyes were wide with a mix of puzzlement and shock. _Where did that come from?!_

Meanwhile, Shirou, who was still surprisingly aware of his surroundings, noticed the sudden pause in Michiru’s caresses. He blinked his eyes opens and gave the tanuki a drowsy, questioning look. Upon noticing her distressed features, however, his brows creased with concern. “Is something wrong?”

A sense of _déjà-vu_ swept over the pair. For a split second, it was as if the den had been replaced by a hospital room. Michiru had her hand buried in Shirou’s fur while they gazed deeply into each other’s eyes. Pale green met vibrant teal, lighting invisible sparks that made shivers run down their spines.

Soon enough, Michiru snapped out of their prolonged stare and shook her head. “It’s nothing, I just, uh, had something in my mind.”

Shirou raised a skeptical eyebrow. “You sure it’s nothing?”

She pursed her lips, hesitating. Deep inside, Michiru really wanted to address… _everything_. The strange sensations she only felt around him, their changing friendship, his increasing displays of care, the physical contact…

_The nights they spent together._

She felt the need to have a proper conversation with Shirou rather than leaving everything as little unspoken agreements between them. Unfortunately, both beastmen were terrible at facing each other about such unnerving, intimate topics. Pushing their problems away and pretending everything was fine seemed much more appealing as a short-term solution.

This time was no exception.

“Yeah, I’m sure.” Sighing, Michiru searched her mind for a new topic. Something to take Shirou’s attention away from her obvious discomfort… and as her eyes ran over the countless paintings decorating the cave walls, Michiru realized she had yet to ask him about them. “Shirou, could you tell me more about the paintings?” She asked with genuine intrigue.

His immediate reaction was a low groan. “I wondered when you’d bring them up.” He grumbled, bringing a hand up to rub his brow tiredly.

Michiru offered a sheepish smile. “I wanted to, but many of them look really personal. I decided to wait for the right moment.”

Shirou peeked at Michiru’s face under his palm with careful, suspicious eyes, searching for clues to her intentions towards such knowledge. Although he had no reason to be wary of his tanuki friend, centuries of bad experiences had long imprinted this habit into his very instincts. After staring into her teal irises for what felt like an eternity, Shirou finally gave in to their charm. “Fine.”

The response elicited a big, excited smile from Michiru. She quickly looked around the den, her mind buzzing with a myriad of questions as she inspected each mural. The mild daylight seeping into the den served to make the deep shades of red composing the drawings stand out, adding a somewhat sinister look to the imagery.

“Hey, Shirou…” She started in a slow voice. “You made all these with blood, didn’t you? I can smell it.” Shirou’s nod made her stomach drop lightly. “Why?”

“It’s animal blood.” He answered a little too casually for her taste. “It stains rock really well and lasts thousands of years. It’s way easier to use the blood from game than mixing pigments from the forest.”

“I guess, but it’s so creepy... and gross.” Michiru’s snout twisted with distaste, to which Shirou snorted in amusement.

“It’s only blood.” He shrugged. “It could be much worse. Some primitive methods to make paints included mixing animal dung with the pigments.”

Michiru’s scowl deepened drastically, followed by a dramatic shudder. “Actually, how old are these paintings? Some of these look so… _ancient._ ”

“Oh, not that old.” Shirou scoffed lightly. “Most were made within the last two to three decades. I think the oldest was made around sixty years ago.”

Michiru blinked in surprise. “Wait, you’ve been on this island for that long?”

He nodded. “Anima City didn’t simply materialize out of nowhere. Before its foundation, the mayor and I had already been using this place to shelter beastmen for decades.” An odd, distant look glimmered in his eyes. “This used to be a prison island long ago. Humans dumped convicts here as a quick solution for their social issues, until a riot reduced the prison to shambles.” Michiru’s eyes widened at such revelation. “From then on, the island remained abandoned for decades, serving as a hotspot for all sorts of illegal activity you can imagine. By the time Barbara and I arrived here, there were already many beastmen living in the island, either hiding away from humans or being sold in slave markets.”

A look of raw repulse washed over the tanuki’s features upon hearing the last part. She could only imagine what Shirou felt at the time, witnessing such cruelty and injustice. “What did you do?”

“Well, first, I rid this place of all human scum.” He growled with distaste. “We freed the enslaved beastmen and formed a community for them, hidden deep in the woods. Over the years, Barbara pursued a career in beastman genetics and slowly built a reputation among humans. It took a long time for her to garner enough political influence to convince the mainland’s government to cease hold of the island to us.” His voice then gained a cynical edge. “To be honest, I think they only agreed to it because they were fed up with all the homeless beastmen cluttering the mainland’s streets. Dumping them here was an easy solution, just like humans did to their prisoners decades ago. We are nothing but garbage to be disposed of in their eyes.”

Stunned, Michiru thought back to the painting that welcomed them back in the tunnel. It was a depiction of the island prior to Anima City’s foundation, showing a place mostly untouched by society and overrun by nature. Who would guess that beautiful place hid such a dark past, and even present as well?

She shifted on the mattress to lean against the wall, her expression pensive. By now, her legs were falling asleep under Shirou’s head, so she gave him a little pat on the shoulder in a silent request to move. He complied and, after some shuffling, sat next to Michiru with his back on the wall too.

“Are you happy with how Anima City turned out?” She pondered once they had settled in a comfortable position. The question caught Shirou off guard, though he didn’t express it.

“Good question.” He spoke slowly. “I know I shouldn’t, but… deep inside, I will always compare it to Nirvasyl. For the better or worse.” Once again, Shirou’s eyes became distant and somber. Michiru could tell he was chasing distant memories. “It will never be a perfect city, but I guess it doesn’t need to be. As long as the beastmen have a safe place to call home, I can take care of the rest.”

Michiru smiled. “That sounds good to me.” She then pointed towards a large painting on the opposite wall. It was one of several depictions of an elegant, busy city with many beastmen wearing toga-like garbs. “Is that Nirvasyl?”

Shirou felt a constraint in his throat, almost as if he had swallowed a tennis ball and it was slowly travelling down to his stomach. “… yes.”

Humming in thought, Michiru rose to her feet and walked towards the image in question. Like in the first time she had seen it, she took her time observing each little detail, admiring the beauty of the rough strokes that shaped such an intricate scenery. “It’s beautiful.” She breathed, referring both to the art itself and the city. “Are all these drawings your memories?”

The wolfman quietly approached her, visibly tense. “Mostly, yes.” He said in flat voice. “It’s… difficult to hold onto memories when you live for so long. They are easier to grasp if I draw them down.”

Michiru, who had moved on to check another drawing, shot Shirou a curious look. A question danced on her tongue, ready to be voiced out, but Michiru hesitated and bit down on her lower lip. She had no idea if asking such thing would be out of line. “Can I ask, uhm… what it’s like?” When Shirou raised a puzzled eyebrow, she was quick to elaborate. “You know, being immortal. I can’t imagine living for literal centuries.”

There was a long pause between them as Shirou’s eyes grew wide. That question made a thousand voices buzz in his head in a chaotic symphony. Most were telling him to shut Michiru off, for she was prying into dangerous territory…. however, some of the voices fancied the idea of answering the question. After all, ever since their arrival at the mountain two days ago, Shirou had found there was something oddly comforting in sharing his experiences and knowledge with Michiru.

He glanced at the painting Michiru was staring at, a large mural depicting a starry night. It reminded him of yesterday, when, after showing the tanuki how to light a campfire, they sat under the night sky and observed the stars. Out there, in the wilderness, there were no urban lights to interfere with the raw beauty of the cosmos, allowing for the most stunning view of the stars Michiru had ever seen. Noticing her excitement, Shirou showed her the many constellations hidden among those glimmering dots and talked about the symbolism and legends they carried, sharing bits of knowledge acquired throughout his thousand-year-old life. Her eyes sparkled both from sheer awe and the campfire flames the whole time.

Shirou couldn’t recall a more beautiful sight.

Maybe it was the way Michiru expressed such interest and admiration in his supernatural existence, yet still treated him no differently from a close friend. Maybe it was her contagious smile upon learning new things… Shirou couldn’t put his finger on what exactly made it so easy to share personal information with the tanuki. Even back when Barbara was still a child, teaching her practical skills and ancient knowledge had no such effect in his person. Instead, it felt purely mechanical…

Then again, that made sense considering they were always on the run at the time, trying to survive in a cruel, relentless post-war world. There were no moments to pause and indulge in the simple joys of life like he had been doing with Michiru.

“Sorry, I shouldn’t have asked.” Her voice snapped Shirou out of his brief reverie, making him realize he hadn’t given Michiru an answer yet. When he looked to his side, he noticed she was nervously avoiding his gaze while pinning her ears down in an apologetic manner. Michiru probably thought her question had offended him. “It’s ok if you don’t want to talk about it.”

Guilt dug its cold fingers into Shirou’s skull in response to her crestfallen voice. With a deep breath, he decided to stop stalling already.

“It’s… lonesome.” He heavily breathed out, crossing his arms. Surprised, Michiru turned her head and perked up her ears to show she was listening. “Always outliving those around me, while time and memories have long lost all meaning… many would call it a curse.”

Michiru had a sympathetic look in her eyes. “Would you?”

“I’ve been asking myself that for a thousand years and have yet to come to an answer.” He admitted somberly. “I’m proud of my duty as the protector of beastmen, but it’s not an easy path. It required countless sacrifices.” His gaze wandered towards a painting behind Michiru and hardened into an icy, pained stare. The image of many dead bodies forming a macabre garland around his own impaled corpse would be forever burned in his mind, haunting each day of his eternal existence.

Michiru followed his eyes and grimaced when she realized what he was referring to. “You said you draw your memories to remember them, but why draw… this?” She approached the series of murals depicting Nirvasyl’s demise and gestured to them all. “Aren’t these memories you would rather forget?”

A scowl marred Shirou’s features. “No. Just because a memory is unpleasant, it doesn’t mean it should be forgotten. That would be disrespectful to all the innocents whose deaths gave me new life that day.” He said in a sharp, stoic tone. “Besides… after living for so long, it’s easy to lose track of my purpose. Painful or not, sometimes I need this reminder.”

As grim as his words sounded, Michiru saw the wisdom in them. She couldn’t help but admire his ability to face such horrible, traumatic events head-on, wondering if she would have done the same in his place.

“How about Nirvasyl?” She continued after a little pause. “What was it like?”

Thoughtful, Shirou pressed his lips in a straight line while he searched for the right words. His mind tried to conjure images of that distant past, only to come up with mere fragments.

In a tragic turn of events, all the years Shirou spent focusing only on the massacre of his people served to carve the most traumatic, horrifying memories deep in his psyche, while all other recollections of Nirvasyl were reduced to dust. The city became synonymous with death and human cruelty, its peaceful environment brimming with life having been lost to time.

“It was a stunning place. I had never seen anything like it at the time, with so many different beastman races in one place.” Shirou spoke quietly. “It was a major destination for traders, too. My clan originally intended to only stay in Nirvasyl for a short while, but we found such great opportunities as merchants, we ended up settling there permanently.”

Michiru’s eyes shone as she tried to picture it all. “Barbara said human traders visited Nirvasyl too, right?” When he nodded, she continued. “Did you meet any?”

“A few. Nirvasyl had alliances with many human kingdoms, and they were usually nice enough.” He shrugged. “Some were very reserved and intimidated by beastmen, others were way too excited about our… _exotic_ looks.” Shirou couldn’t help but roll his eyes at the last part.

The mental image of a young Shirou surrounded by a bunch of curious humans poking him in awe made Michiru giggle. Although this was a heavy topic for Shirou, it was nice to be able to have this conversation with him without the dread and grief that usually accompanied it. For years, Michiru wanted so badly to learn more about her close friend, but she was always walking on eggs around him and feared touching upsetting topics.

She took another look at the detailed mural depicting a lively, untouched Nirvasyl. Its inhabitants came in all shapes and forms. Hares, deer, sheep, foxes, birds, you named it. All of them engaged in an array of different interactions, varying from negotiating merchants to children in the middle of some sort of ball game.

Even with the simplistic style, the painting was intricate enough to help Michiru picture the city in perfect detail. “I wish I could have been there to see it myself.” She breathed after a while.

“ _Don’t._ ”

Shirou’s sharp, barking voice caught Michiru completely off guard. Startled, she jolted in place and felt her hackles rising. Before she could complain, however, his eyes met hers in an intense stare laden with nothing but pain.

“If you were there, you would have met the same fate as my clan.” His eyes flicked back to the wall, and, when Michiru followed his gaze, she realized Shirou was looking at the mural of Nirvasyl’s brutal bloodbath. “You’re fine right where you are, Michiru.”

That left Michiru at loss for words. A new flame sparked to life deep in her chest, nurtured by a myriad of emotions currently fighting for dominance within the girl’s mind. Flustered, she offered him a sheepish, thankful smile.

“That… that might be the nicest thing you’ve told me, Shirou.” Her smile grew bigger when she noticed Shirou’s ear tips reddening. In response, he folded them back with a light grumble and looked away.

“Don’t get too used to it.”

Michiru giggled. “I won’t.” She then stepped closer and surprised the grumpy wolfman with a hug. He stiffened in her warm embrace, becoming as rigid as a wooden board with both arms firmly pressed to his sides. Michiru didn’t mind his lack of engagement, though. The only thing that mattered was making her appreciation known. “That makes it even more special.”

It took him a while, but Shirou eventually relaxed his muscles with a deep, defeated sigh. “… you’re welcome.”

* * *

With the weather clearing up, the duo finally left the den, this time heading for the stream they used for spearfishing. Michiru considered it the most beautiful spot in the montane forest. The crystalline meltwater glimmered like a precious gem under the daylight, flowing down the mountainside in multiple little steps at a very gentle speed. Vibrant green moss covered the trees and boulders lining the shore, while fish lazed about close to the surface in search of bugs to feed on. Their scales glinted in gold and silver tones through the translucent water. In the background, songbirds composed a soothing, constant ambience.

The stream had easily become Michiru’s favorite place. Just being able to listen to the rippling water lapping at the shore brought her an incomparable peacefulness, like a powerful spell able to push away the burdens weighting down her shoulders. Such effect was even visible in Shirou, whose posture relaxed significantly whenever they visited the place.

Michiru paused to take a deep breath of the fresh, revitalizing mountain air and crouched down by the water, resting two buckets on the ground. They had come to the stream to refill their water supply, but something told her Shirou had another underlying reason for it. Maybe he was bringing Michiru to her favorite spot to alleviate the stress caused by the morning hunt. It was unlikely he would admit that, though.

A light growl to her right grabbed her attention, and Michiru smiled in amusement when she caught sight of a very annoyed Shirou glaring daggers at his own reflection on the water. “If it helps, I don’t think you’re _that_ ugly.” She teased.

Shirou shot the tanuki a peeved look, his tail twitching in irritation. “Let’s just say I don’t exactly appreciate the braids.”

“Oh c’mon, they look fine!” She giggled lightly. “You’re just being a big baby.” Another growl escaped his lips, but the way Shirou rolled his eyes told Michiru it wasn’t a serious threat.

Unbeknownst to her, the wolfman’s annoyance was because he couldn’t bring himself to _hate_ those damn things. He originally assumed they would look feminine and ridiculous, but, to his surprise, the little braids fit his thick mane quite well.

Shirou shook his head in dismay and focused on the patches of dried blood still staining his neck fur. The reflection showed that the red substance had seeped under his collar, so he reached up and unclasped the buckle, hissing as he removed the accessory that had long become an extension of his body. Shirou rubbed his neck at the feeling of fresh air kissing his sensitive scar.

Tanuki ears twitched towards the sound of splashing water nearby. Having just filled the buckets, Michiru glanced over and saw Shirou washing the blood off his neck. However, what really caught her eye was the collar left on the pebbly shore floor. An idea probed the back of her skull. A very, _very_ bad idea… but an _irresistible_ one, nonetheless. It tickled her inner rascal and filled those teal eyes with pure mischief.

She checked a second time to make sure Shirou wasn’t watching, then snatched the black collar in the blink of an eye. For a moment, Michiru paused and simply rotated the object in her hands like a precious relic, taking in every little detail. Any semblance of hesitation was quickly wiped away once a devious smirk curled her lips, though. Soon enough, her nimble fingers had clasped the collar around her neck with a satisfying _click_.

It was a little oversized on her thin, feminine form, but that did little to muffle the fulfilling sensation blooming in her chest. For some reason, there was a sense of empowerment in wearing Shirou’s collar, as if donning it had passed over his abilities, strength and overall qualities as the mighty Silver Wolf. Michiru smiled and leaned back on her palms, allowing her pride to run amok for once.

“What the hell are you doing?”

Shirou’s sudden voice broke Michiru out of her momentaneous bliss. His eyes cut into hers with an intense, questioning glare, though she also saw hints of genuine puzzlement. After all, catching Michiru wearing his collar was anything but predictable on Shirou’s book.

“Oh, I just wanted to see what the big deal was, since you never take this thing off.” She answered in an infuriatingly smug voice, with an even more infuriatingly smug face.

Shirou wasn’t amused.

“Give it back.” His muzzle wrinkled into a scowl, but, to his dismay, that only seemed to fuel the girl’s mischief. “ _Now._ ”

He reached for her, only to watch Michiru defiantly jump to her feet and away from his grasping hand. A challenging laughter bubbled in her chest. “Make me.”

Shirou raised an eyebrow. He wasn’t the kind to give in to such childish provocations, but there was something oddly _alluring_ about Michiru’s fearless attitude. Very few people would have had the guts to defy his demands, let alone challenge him… and yet this girl had no qualms about doing either whatsoever, playfully teasing with him the same way one would a puppy.

Sometimes, he couldn’t help but wonder if that’s how Michiru saw him. A harmless little puppy to pet and cuddle with. The thought made Shirou snarl.

“This is ridiculous.” He grumbled, standing up. “Just give me the damn thing already!”

A swarm of voices in Michiru’s mind repeatedly warned her against pushing Shirou’s buttons, but they were all silenced when a strange instinct deeply ingrained in her senses roared to life. It told her to lure the male further in. To _tempt_ him with her charming ways.

She had no idea where it was coming from, but it made her body tingle with excitement. She felt bolder. _Empowered_.

“And why would I do that?” She snickered, sending Shirou a grin that made his hackles stand on end. The reply left him stunned.

“… what?”

“What’s in for me if I give the collar back?” Michiru’s sly stare became almost predatory. “You don’t expect me to do it that easily, do you?”

The space between them was suddenly filled by a strange kind of tension. It charged the air with static and felt as dense as a brick wall, but not in a negative way. If anything, its effect resembled an adrenaline rush. Both beastmen’s hearts sped up, pumping fresh new vigor into their veins in ways that made their bodies buzz in place, ready to burst into action. What said action entailed, however, was still a mystery.

“If you don’t give it back, I will take it by force.” Shirou narrowed his eyes and took a few steps forward. Unfazed, Michiru merely skipped away with the elegance of a doe.

“You’ll have to catch me first!” Michiru playfully stuck her tongue out at the baffled wolf in a silent, but effective dare. It sparked a primal urge deep within his chest that made his blood boil. The urge to accept her impudent challenge and prove his dominance. To put that pesky little tanuki in her place and-

_Wait, that wasn’t right._

Shirou gritted his teeth. Yet again, he found his usually dormant animal urges stirring to life under Michiru’s influence. She had laid out the bait, luring him in like a siren singing to a clueless sailor. He shouldn’t give in. _He was better than that, damnit!_

There was no warning before Shirou sprung forth and crossed the distance between them in the blink of an eye. To his shock, however, his outstretched claws grasped nothing but thin air, and he had to roll on the ground to cushion his fall. A taunting, feminine chuckle to his left drew Shirou’s attention to Michiru’s new position.

She was crouched on all fours with a long feline tail swishing behind her. Her eyes pierced his own with a pair of slitted pupils. “Cat reflexes.” Michiru purred. “You’ll have to try harder than that, _old man_.”

_Oh no, she didn’t._

Pale green eyes narrowed dangerously. In the recesses of his mind, there was a voice telling Shirou not to engage with her taunts. It was obvious Michiru was trying to get a reaction out of him for her own amusement, and by playing along he would be little more than a puppet wrapped around the girl’s little finger. However, Michiru’s playful nature was contagious, if not irresistible at times. In fact, it was frightening how much Shirou found himself _yearning_ to give in to her allure and fall into her trap.

Frowning, Shirou pushed those thoughts to the back of his mind and tried to focus on the task at hand. He lunged for Michiru again… and again. And again. She skillfully dodged him each time with graceful, nimble movements that contrasted his brutish ones. Soon enough, the two beastmen were engaged in an intricate dance of jumps, sprints and flips. Michiru didn’t even notice that her shoes had dropped off at some point between transformations, too caught up in their antics to care.

Admittedly, Shirou was impressed. Michiru was obviously showcasing how much she had grown and improved her performance over the years, making full use of her powers as she morphed from animal to animal to avoid his moves. She had a big grin on her lips, laughing excitedly after hopping away from Shirou on kangaroo legs. The sound was music to his ears and, before he knew it, Shirou was grinning as well. Sometimes he purposely missed his target just to hear more of it.

They frolicked in the woods for a while, until Michiru, who had morphed into a ring-tailed lemur, jumped on a tree branch and yelled “time!” while forming a T with her hands. Shirou raised an eyebrow, but still complied to the request. He walked under the branch where she was perched and crossed his arms, silently telling her to proceed.

“What if we made this a bit more interesting?” She offered with cunning voice, which made Shirou grow suspicious.

“What do you mean?”

Smirking, Michiru sprawled her lithe body on the branch and flung her striped tail around like a whip. “Let’s make a bet.”

“A bet? Seriously?” Shirou shot her an annoyed, half-lidded gaze. “Haven’t you abused my patience enough, already??”

“Not really.” At this point, she was very aware Shirou was enjoying their little game of tag and simply refused to acknowledge it. It boosted her self-esteem in ways Michiru didn’t expect, motivating her to push the wolfman’s buttons even further. “How about this… whoever pins the other down gets one wish.”

“… a wish?”

“Yeah! I get to give you an order, and you’ll have to do it no matter how hard or embarrassing.” Something about Michiru’s curling lips sent shivers down Shirou’s spine.

That pestering voice of reason prodded his head yet again. Indulging Michiru’s games any further seemed like a very bad idea. It was bad enough to have let it come this far, considering Shirou had the speed and strength to subdue her within seconds. He was holding himself back, but _why_? What did he have to win from this foolish, pointless endeavor between them?

Maybe it was the fact that, for the first time in what felt like ages, Shirou found himself genuinely having _fun_.

He pursed his lips. _This wasn’t about the collar anymore, was it?_

Throughout his extensive life, Shirou had been little more than a walking ghost pursuing its last unsolved deed in the mortal realm. He had shaped his whole existence around a single purpose: protecting beastmen. Anything else would be a distraction from this greater goal, including his personal life. In fact, even in times when Shirou felt the need to seek his mountain refuge, he usually justified that as a necessary decision to be a good protector. After all, he was nowhere as efficient with a cluttered, distressed mind.

But now, thanks to Michiru, Shirou was finally able to put all that aside for a few minutes of unbridled joy. For once, his mind wasn’t riddled with thoughts about his immortality, the future of Anima City, protecting beastmen, or even Nirvasyl. Instead, there was only him, Michiru and her contagious smiles.

_And he was fine with that._

“What’s the matter, Shirou?” Michiru’s teasing voice suddenly snapped him out of his thoughts. She was still lying on the branch, resting her head on her right palm with a bored look. “You aren’t scared, are you?”

Right then and there, Shirou almost took back everything he had just mulled over in his reveries. _Almost._

An irked glint shone in his eyes. “Don’t be ridiculous.”

To Shirou’s horror, Michiru flashed him a devious grin and morphed into a chicken. She squawked and clucked in a loud, overdramatic way, making sure to stare into his eyes the whole time with an infuriating smugness. Shirou’s snout wrinkled into a snarl the longer he stared back.

He knew he shouldn’t give in to such childish tactics, but something deep in his chest urged him to do exactly that. To confront that audacious female even if that meant throwing himself into the siren’s irresistible call. The voice of reason was all but forgotten by now, having been silenced by the primal instincts roaring in Shirou’s ears.

“Very well, you tanuki thief.” He sneered, closing his fists. A satisfied smirk took over Michiru’s lips, but before she could reply or jump into action, Shirou continued. “With one condition.”

She raised an eyebrow, intrigued. “What’s it?”

“No flying.” He looked pointedly at her arms, which were still wings due to her current chicken form. “That would make it too easy for you.”

Huffing, Michiru morphed back into a tanuki and leaned up to a sitting position on the branch. “Only if you don’t use that super nose of yours. That wouldn’t be fair at all!”

The nose in question twitched with a snort. “Fine.” He then smirked. “You have a five second head start.”

Surprised, Michiru blinked. “W-What?”

“Four.”

Her eyes widened, but Michiru was quick to act. Within milliseconds, she had jumped to the ground and darted away on cheetah legs. The forest wasn’t as dense on that part of the mountain, which allowed her to run in between trees in zigzags with relative ease. Soon, a rustle to her left made her ears twitch, and Michiru didn’t need to look to know Shirou was running right by her side. Instead, she continued staring ahead, entirely focused on not stumbling on any rocks or exposed roots.

More rustles caught her attention, but a recognizable pattern in them triggered an instant reaction from Michiru. She dug her feet into the ground and halted to a sudden stop, which kicked dirt and debris all over the wolfman who had just landed in front of her. Surprised, Shirou closed his eyes and shielded his face with an arm.

Thanks to the fresh adrenaline pumping into her veins, Michiru didn’t hesitate before hopping onto Shirou’s hunched form and then launching herself up towards the closest tree. He grunted and staggered from the sudden kick on his back, while Michiru turned into a lemur again to swing from tree to tree with a spirited laugh. Deep inside, Shirou felt his pride ache a little from having fallen to such an undignified move.

He kept chasing after her on ground, with his mind racing just as fast as his legs. Shirou knew she had agility on her side and, even with his super speed, Michiru wasn’t an opponent to be undermined. Years of training with Shirou not only had built her body and abilities to their full athletic potential, but also made Michiru unbelievably good at predicting Shirou’s movements.

But Shirou had one card in his sleeve. He _knew_ that mountain… and right now he was leading Michiru into a dead end.

The trees suddenly stopped in front of a steep rock wall covered in moss, bushes and vines. Michiru yelped in mid swing and dropped to the ground, skidding to a halt. Had she not been paying attention, she would certainly have hit the towering cliffside. To make matters worse, she turned around only to find a smirking Shirou standing right behind her.

Gasping, Michiru morphed into her tanuki form and backed up until she had pressed herself against the wall. Shirou, however, merely stepped closer. A surge of cockiness invaded his senses, accompanied by a much deeper feeling he couldn’t quite put his finger on. It was strangely… exciting. Before he knew it, Shirou had placed both arms on the rocky wall and trapped Michiru between them. Their heaving chests were almost touching.

Due to Shirou’s abilities, it was incredibly hard to tire him down with physical exercise. That brief race through the forest shouldn’t have left him winded… and yet, as he and Michiru stayed frozen in place, Shirou found himself panting deeply. His nostrils flaring with each intake of Michiru’s scent.

That unnamed feeling was stronger, now. In a way, it reminded Shirou of an ancient, primal beast. With each heartbeat, the chained entity pounded against the ribcage keeping it captive, roaring demands to be freed after centuries of suppression.

_How long would its chains last?_

Michiru, on the other hand, wasn’t doing much better. By now, she was sure her whole body was blushing. The air surrounding both beastmen was once again heavily charged with static, and they were so close, Michiru could even _feel_ the heat emanating from Shirou’s chest. The fact he was shirtless only made her blush harder.

_Lean just a little closer and you could kiss him._

It was that voice again, whispering dangerous little suggestions in Michiru’s ears. She had no clue where such absurd thoughts were coming from… but at least they gave her an idea. Still staring deeply into those pale green irises, Michiru slowly raised a hand and placed it on Shirou’s chest. Her fingers gently buried into his fur and rubbed the hot skin underneath in slow circles.

Shirou’s eyes widened and flicked down, but he didn’t move away. Instead, he instinctively leaned into the touch, followed by a low hum of appreciation rumbling in his chest. Michiru couldn’t help but smile at his reaction, especially when he closed his eyes to savor the pleasant sensation.

A smile that quickly turned into a devious smirk.

Michiru used that same hand on his chest to give Shirou a hard shove. He was caught off guard and took a moment to regain his balance, but a moment was all Michiru needed. In a show of flexibility and speed, the tanuki slipped between the male’s legs and sped off on all fours, snickering away like a hyena. Shirou was left behind with the most dumbfounded look on his face.

His brows furrowed into a scowl, but a subtle curl at the corner of Shirou’s lips hinted to an inkling of mirth growing deep in his core. It spread and enveloped his heart like the roots of a fragile seedling, possibly planted by Michiru’s very touch. As he turned around and ran after her, Shirou allowed said mirth to fuel his body and mind. Its exhilarating effect only widened his playful grin.

It didn’t take long at all for him to catch up with Michiru, who had morphed into a gazelle this time. That made her movements even more gracious as she ran in long, leaping strides with the elegance of a ballerina, and the speed of a horse. Michiru found that a better form for running among trees, especially considering how fast her stamina ran out as a cheetah.

Suddenly, Michiru felt a sharp tug on her blue bovine tail that nearly threw her off balance. When she glanced back from the corner of an eye, she caught a glimpse of Shirou holding the limb in his hand. “Hey, that’s low!” She yelled angrily, to which Shirou merely shrugged in mid run.

“So was what you did back there.” He tugged again, this time hard enough to force Michiru to slow down. She gritted her teeth in annoyance.

Michiru’s fur shimmered with blue sparkles and, in the blink of an eye, the bovine tail in Shirou’s grasp had transformed into a thick, reptilian one. It wrapped around his arm in a vice grip, while the rest of Michiru’s body followed suit in its transformation. Her neck and torso elongated into a tall, flexible form. Hairs were replaced with tightly arranged scales, and the hoof-like nails became lizard claws.

The newly morphed girl suddenly twisted her body and used the momentum to whip her muscular tail around, throwing Shirou almost ten meters ahead. He had no trouble flipping in midair and making a smooth landing, though.

“A python?” He asked, finding the blue reticulated patterns that covered Michiru’s head, back and tail rather eye-catching. “That’s a new one.”

“Yeah.” She flicked a red forked tongue in his direction, and Shirou couldn’t decide whether that was meant to be a taunt. The glint of mischief in her eyes implied so. “I can’t wait to try it out.”

An imaginary spark of electricity crossed the space between them and made their bodies tingle with adrenaline. Within only a few heartbeats, both beastmen charged at each other with the speed and resolve of a bull.

Given Shirou’s unmatched advantage, Michiru’s main tactic was to use her newfound snake flexibility to dodge his attacks as much as possible. Each time Shirou touched Michiru could be a golden opportunity for him to subdue her, and she knew too well that, if he hadn’t been holding himself back this whole time, she would have lost the match long ago. Still, she managed to get a few hits of her own, at times using the reptilian tail to whip at Shirou and block his swings.

The wolfman eventually tricked Michiru into wrapping her tail on his arm again, only to dig his feet into the ground, firmly grip the appendage with both hands and swing Michiru in a circle. The tables had been turned, and a yelping snake girl suddenly found herself being thrown onto a tree trunk with a loud _slam_.

Michiru gasped in pain and shock. The hit wasn’t anything she couldn’t handle, but it still made her back burn from its impact on the rough bark. She grimaced as she rubbed her aching head, groaning.

Concerned, Shirou was quick to approach his friend. “Are you alright?”

“Yes.” She grumbled. “Just give me a minute.”

Shirou frowned and crossed his arms. His towering form shadowed Michiru’s sitting one. “We should call this off. You know very well that it’s impossible for you to overpower me. If you keep trying, you’ll just get yourself hurt.”

The words sparked a flame of anger deep within Michiru’s pride. Firstly, Shirou had just challenged her fighting capabilities. Secondly, he implied she was so clumsy, she would end up hurting herself.

Her mind immediately started plotting a plan. It wouldn’t be much, but it didn’t need to. All Michiru wanted was one opportunity to surprise Shirou and show him that “impossible” wasn’t a word in her vocabulary.

And said opportunity revealed itself when Shirou offered her a hand to get up.

At first, Michiru seemed to gladly accept his offer by reaching for his outstretched hand. However, just before she could touch it, she swiftly knocked Shirou off his feet with a roundhouse spin. He fell hard on his back with a pained grunt, a mix of emotions buzzing in his mind. Among them, confusion and anger were the most vocal. To make matters worse, Michiru was nowhere in sight when he opened his eyes again. Just how long she would keep testing his patience, he wondered.

Growling lightly, Shirou slowly rose to his feet and shook the dirt off his fur. A quick look at his surroundings still revealed no sign of where that pesky tanuki had gone, which he found very suspicious. Something felt… _different_ , almost as if Shirou was being watched.

His instinctive reaction was to point his snout up and inhale the countless scents that composed the fresh montane air. To Shirou’s surprise, though, a small pebble hit him on the head right before he could take the first breath. It bounced off his skull with a nearly comical _thunk_ , followed by a feminine voice.

“No scent tracking, remember?”

_The hell??_

Shirou whipped his head around like a lost pup, looking for Michiru. Yet, again, there was no sign of the female. Her disembodied voice had dispelled in the breeze like the whispers of a ghost.

It looked like their match of tag had turned into a hide-and-seek.

An exasperated sigh left his lips at the realization. “You don’t give up, do you?” He spoke out in an irked voice. “You can’t hide forever.”

“Try me.”

She didn’t sound too far away. Canine ears flicked back and forth as Shirou shifted his focus to the forest ambiance, filtering its noises one by one. Admittedly, Shirou was guilty of relying on his scenting abilities far too much, while other senses were left neglected and rusty. Although his hearing was generally sharp, he rarely bothered to practice it as a focus, if ever at all.

Untangling the intricately woven sounds proved to be very tricky. The woods, which he always considered peacefully quiet, were shockingly loud when he directed all his attention to his ears. Birds chirped and frolicked among treetops. Leaves rustled in the wind. Branches rattled against each other. Bark groaned and cracked with the rise of the sun. Rodents squeaked both on land and above Shirou’s head. The list was endless.

… until one noise stood out from the rest.

Dry bark cracked as if being crushed under someone’s foot, except it didn’t come from the ground. It sounded higher. Shirou narrowed his eyes and looked up at the tangle of branches forming the forest ceiling. _That definitely hadn’t been a squirrel._

_Crack._

That one had come from his left, and he could swear he had heard a faint grunt as well. He felt confident in his senses, but still avoided heading straight for the sound. Instead, Shirou pretended to have heard nothing by wandering around with a confused visage. Suddenly, a loud rustle grabbed his attention. His eyes spotted moving leaves by a large, ancient looking tree.

Shirou carefully walked over to it and looked for places in the foliage where a sneaky tanuki would hide. To his annoyance, he still found nothing. By now his patience had run low, and Shirou was ready to yell for Michiru to come out of hiding. Otherwise, he would break the golden rule and simply track her down.

It was then an eerie, whispering voice echoed from above Shirou’s head. It sent shivers down his spine and made his fur stand on end.

“Gotcha.”

In the millisecond Shirou had to look up, he could only catch a glimpse of Michiru’s teal eyes materializing from the mossy bark, along with the rest of her chameleon form. She was facing down with her legs and arms hugging the trunk. There was no time to process what he saw, though, and let alone to react. Before Shirou knew it, Michiru had leaped from the tree and onto the unprepared wolf with a battle cry, tackling his body with the force of a speeding train. Shirou felt the air leave his lungs from the impact and instinctively clung to Michiru as their bodies rolled on the ground.

Unfortunately, the dense thicket they fell into happened to hide a steep slope.

They unceremoniously rolled down the hill like a rock, bursting through countless shrubs, roots and entangled twigs. Some of them had thorns that tore clothing and scraped the skin underneath. Michiru gritted her teeth and buried her face in Shirou’s chest. This reminded her way too closely of the freefall incident from years ago… except that, instead of resulting into a fall on hard concrete, the duo found themselves dropping into a deep pond.

The freezing cold water overwhelmed Michiru’s senses. She burst out of the rippling surface in a coughing fit, desperately gulping as much air as possible and wading her way towards the shore. Shirou wasn’t doing much better. Too much had happened in too little time, and the shock of such a harsh an environment shift left him even more stunned.

A sharp pain on his right arm made it hard for Shirou to swim. He was pretty sure his shoulder was dislocated, but that wasn’t a concern. By the time he reached the pebbly shore, the pain had already been reduced to nothing but a tingling numbness. Shirou clumsily dragged himself out of the water with only one arm and threw himself on the ground with a long, tired groan. The loud _pop_ that followed made his body flinch violently. _At least the shoulder had set now._

Splashing noises by his side told him Michiru had made it to the shore as well, so he rolled onto his back to face her. The girl, now back to her tanuki form, looked like a miserable, soggy rat. The once fluffy tail had been reduced to a thin clump of wet hairs, while her ears drooped heavily. She shook most of the water off her body in a typical dog maneuver, but that only made her fur stick out in all directions like a shaggy old carpet.

Such a sight would have amused Shirou if it weren’t for an abrupt realization. Michiru’s tank top was gone, leaving only the black sports bra on her chest. Shirou’s immediate reaction was to turn his head away and squeeze his eyes closed, mentally smacking himself for being so easily flustered by that damn girl.

But ignoring her wouldn’t be that simple.

After she managed to catch her breath, Michiru stared at Shirou with a pensive, yet hesitant expression. She could see a golden opportunity laid before her very eyes, and the instinct whispering in her ears told her to take it. The thought alone made Michiru’s skin feel hotter, both from sheepishness and excitement, even though she had just come out of a freezing pond. In the end, that charming voice was simply too persuasive.

Michiru slowly and silently crawled closer to Shirou. Then, after gulping down the knot of hesitation clogging her throat, she swiftly climbed onto his body, straddled his torso and pressed both palms on his chest. Shirou’s eyes shot wide open instantly, startled. Michiru could feel him tensing up under her.

“Michiru, wha-”

“I win!” She tried her best to sound firm and confident, even though her face and ears were flushed a vibrant red. “I have you pinned, so you lost.”

Shirou opened his mouth, but no words came out. He was rendered utterly speechless by the bold, downright insufferable girl who had spent the last half hour pushing his patience to the limit. Throughout this whole ordeal, she had managed to fool him not one or two, but _three_ times, and ultimately won their game on Shirou’s terms.

Michiru had defeated the Silver Wolf.

And yet, for some reason… Shirou couldn’t bring himself to be mad at her.

Five years ago, he would have felt humiliated and disrespected. His pride would have been torn to shreds, and Shirou probably wouldn’t want to do as little as looking at Michiru’s face again. This wasn’t the case now, though. Instead of feeling his pride ache, Shirou felt it swell and bloom _for Michiru._ After all, she had come such a long way from being that foolish, vulnerable girl freshly out of highschool.

He recalled that morning when he helped Michiru with her bandages. It had been the first time Shirou noticed how much her feminine body had filled out and matured, but, due to their embarrassing situation then, he couldn’t pay much attention to that. Now, however, with Michiru literally sitting on top of him, Shirou found himself unable to look away. His eyes took in Michiru’s whole figure from head to toes, mentally noting down every curve and well-defined muscle.

_She was amazing._

The thought seemed so uncharacteristic when coming from someone like Shirou… but it was nothing but sincere. He simply couldn’t find better words to describe that young woman above him.

Suddenly, Michiru felt Shirou’s torso heave with a genuine, lighthearted laughter. It made her bounce in place and caught her off guard, having never heard Shirou let out a full laugh before. Still, she found herself delighted by the sound. Witnessing her companion express such happiness filled her chest with a familiar, pleasant warmth.

“What’s so funny?” She asked with a raised eyebrow, visibly amused. To her surprise, Michiru felt Shirou’s hands rest on her waist and gently rub circles in the damp fur. The touch sparked with electricity.

“You really are something else, Michiru.” His voice sounded… different. Huskier, even. It made Michiru’s heart skip a beat. “Fine, you win.”

It took a few seconds for Shirou’s words to sink in, but when they did, Michiru blinked in surprise. “Wait, really?”

“Yes.” He closed his eyes and laid his head back on the pebbly floor, taking in a deep breath. “You earned it.”

Michiru couldn’t stop a wide grin from crossing her features. Her soggy tail even wagged with excitement, which sprayed water all over the place. In all these years, she had never managed to make Shirou admit defeat on anything. It always came with conditions and excuses, especially regarding arguments. To think she had not only won against him for once, but on a physical challenge of all things, filled her with joy and pride.

Now, with Michiru’s victory being officially recognized, her mind quickly started buzzing with ideas for her winning wish. As tempting as it was to put Shirou in an embarrassing situation, it would feel too petty and short-lived. Besides, Michiru didn’t want to punish Shirou when he had just overcome his inflated pride to admit defeat.

No, she wanted something more meaningful. Something… _special._ It had been tickling the recesses of her mind for a long time, and now could be the perfect opportunity to have it.

“I think I know what my wish is.” She announced.

Shirou’s body stiffened again, followed by a weary groan. When he opened his eyes, the giddy smile on Michiru’s face only made him feel like he was about to walk into a trap. “What’s it?”

His deadpanned voice had no effect on Michiru’s excitement. “I want you to turn into the Silver Wolf.”

A long pause settled between them as Shirou tried to digest her strange request. His face was expressionless, and the only sign of his growing confusion was a couple of slow blinks.

“… what?”

“You heard me.”

“You’ve seen it countless times.” Shirou’s brows furrowed into a suspicious frown. He wondered if Michiru was secretly plotting something, but the way her confident posture quickly deflated into sheepishness hinted otherwise.

“I don’t mean like that, though.” She bit down on her lower lip and absentmindedly fiddled with Shirou’s chest fur. “I never got to stop and look at your Silver Wolf form properly, you know? It was always in the rush of battle, and I only caught glimpses of it before you burned yourself out.” Sighing, Michiru pierced Shirou’s eyes with a pleading gaze. “Please?”

For a while, Shirou’s features remained unchanged. Voices rattled his skull with an overwhelming variety of emotions ranging from positive to negative. On one hand, he knew how curious Michiru was, and such request should have been expected at some point. On the other, Shirou felt an inkling of annoyance at the idea of being stared at like a zoo animal.

The Silver Wolf was a part of his life best left alone. It was a dangerous entity only meant to make its appearance in the direst of times, bringing nothing but death and destruction. To some, such was the price of salvation. To others, it could only result in anguish. That wasn’t a force to play with so casually.

Pale green eyes narrowed. After causing so much bloodshed over the centuries, and, most recently, the massacre at that Nazi lab during the second World War, Shirou preferred to emotionally distance himself from the Silver Wolf as much as possible. He treated it almost like a completely different persona, a killing machine he controlled only sporadically. The less he thought about its destructive nature, the merrier.

“No.”

Surprised, Michiru couldn’t help but flinch at Shirou’s stern tone. “What do you mean, ‘no’?”

“I’m not doing that.” He scowled. “The Silver Wolf is only for times of need. I’m not turning into it just because you want a bigger dog to pet.”

Michiru’s mouth hung open for a moment. “But we had a deal!” She argued in a frustrated voice. “The loser would do anything, remember??”

“Well, I’m breaking the deal.” Shirou grumbled, rolling his eyes. “I never cared about it anyway, I just said yes so you’d stop nagging.”

With only a couple of words, the once pleasant atmosphere surrounding the two beastmen had turned sour. They stared intensely at each other for what felt like an eternity. Michiru’s expression carried a mix of hurt and anger, while Shirou’s impassive features refused to budge. Neither side was willing to yield.

Their internalized confrontation was cut short, though, when a chilly wind reminded the pair of their soaked state. The moisture still clinging to Michiru’s fur seemed to turn into sharp needles, digging into skin and spreading a piercing cold straight to her bones. Hissing, she could only hug herself as her whole body trembled in response.

Shirou, being even more drenched than Michiru, shivered as well. His impassive look finally broke into a grimace upon seeing the girl shaking like a twig in the wind. She looked pitiful.

“Come on, we should dry ourselves.” Sighing, he gave her legs a little nudge. Michiru got the message and stood up, but not before shooting Shirou one last cold look. Somehow, that stung worse than the breeze prickling his skin.

For a while, they gave each other a silent treatment and focused on shaking off as much water as possible. The activity helped dissipate Michiru’s frustrations towards Shirou, as the sensation was surprisingly relaxing. Still, the bitterness lingered. _They were having such a nice time together, why did he ruin it?_

It was a pattern she had noticed over the years. Michiru would make progress in getting closer to Shirou, winning his trust and affection, only for him to push her away and destroy any semblance of progress between them. Albeit not unexpected, such behavior still infuriated Michiru, especially considering how much they had grown together in the recent months.

Huffing grumpily, she shot Shirou a glare from the corner of an eye and growled.

“Great, I bet the den will smell like wet dog, now.” She wrinkled her nose in distaste, ignoring the dirty look Shirou sent her way as she shook her body off again. He mirrored her actions and, in a rather petty move, sprayed all the excess water coating his fur in her direction. “Hey!”

Michiru turned around to face him fully and complaint, but all words died in her mouth at the sight that met her eyes. After having shaken off so many times, Shirou’s long, thick fur had become so poofed up and clumped, he looked like a white dandelion. Suddenly, all her irritation had vanished. She burst into a giggling fit immediately.

Shirou, on the other hand, didn’t look as amused. His mane still had the braids from earlier, and he was sure that only made him look even more ridiculous. Irked, he pinned his ears down and thought of ways to make Michiru uncomfortable enough to stop laughing.

“Ideally, you should get rid of those wet clothes, you know?” Just as he had hoped, that silenced Michiru’s giggles instantly. “But I’m sure you wouldn’t like that.”

The tanuki suddenly felt particularly aware of her own body, especially when she noticed Shirou was unbuttoning his pants. Flustered, she turned away and quietly worked on wringing out her shorts. At least that momentaneous rush of humor served to alleviate the tension in the air, and Michiru decided to push her bitter thoughts to the back of her mind. Those could be addressed another time.

Truth to be told, the bothersome feeling of those freezing, sodden clothes sticking to her form made Shirou’s snarky suggestion genuinely tempting. As soon as that crossed Michiru’s mind, though, it was shoved away with an outraged curse under her breath.

Michiru had learned very early in her new life as a beastman that, differently from humans, they didn’t find nudity such an offensive matter. Of course, it still wasn’t considered ideal to be nude in public settings, but it was mostly tolerable. One would compare it to how humans viewed swimwear in certain locations. It certainly helped that most beastmen had some sort of coverage for their privates, too, whether it was fur, scales, or feathers. Thanks to that factor, Michiru looked at a naked Shirou with the same indifference she would a pet dog.

But even with her fur, Michiru’s human roots meant she still felt too uncomfortable with exposing her nude body to anything but a mirror… although she admittedly had caught herself wondering what a certain wolfman would think of it more than once. Especially in the past few days...

Maybe that drop in cold water had been well-deserved.

“Actually, speaking of taking clothes off…” Michiru almost jumped when Shirou’s voice startled her out of her daydreams. He had taken off his pants and was wringing the water out of them. “What happened to your tank top?”

“Oh, I took it off to hide on that tree.” She looked up at the slope they had dropped from a while ago, frowning. “The white color would have ruined my camouflage. Now I gotta go there to get it back, though… and my shoes, too…”

There was a pause as his pensive eyes followed hers. An enigmatic expression covered his features, as unreadable as ever. “Don’t worry about that.”

“Huh?”

Shirou sighed heavily before throwing the now wrinkly pants over his shoulder. “You should head back to the den and light the fire. If you stay out here like that much longer, you’ll catch a cold.”

She blinked, hesitant. “But what about-”

“Wait for me at the den. I will bring your stuff.” Based on how stiff his posture looked, Michiru could tell Shirou was still tense. It especially showed in the way he awkwardly avoided her eyes and raised a hand to rub the back of his neck. “… I can bring some fish while I’m at it, too.”

Although he was essentially pushing her away again, his words carried a very subtle hint of care that didn’t go unnoticed by Michiru.

Knowing Shirou, he probably wanted some time alone to think through everything they had just experienced. Admittedly, even Michiru felt a little overwhelmed by the rush of the past hour or so, and a break didn’t sound half bad. Besides, bringing up the Silver Wolf seemed to have struck a nerve in Shirou.

Michiru pursed her lips. She could only hope he would come around and open himself up to her about it later.

“Yeah… I guess I can do that.”

Sighing, she gave Shirou a single, respectful nod and turned around to head away. Surprisingly, though, a hand on Michiru’s shoulder stopped her before she could take the first step.

“Wait.” Shirou tugged her to face him again, clearly intending on saying something. However, any semblance of words vanished in thin air as soon as his eyes met hers. His mind went completely blank, lost in those twirling pools of teal, while his mouth opened and closed several times. Michiru waited expectantly, wondering if Shirou would apologize for his hurtful comment.

“… the collar.” He finally blurted out after a while. “You didn’t give it back.”

Michiru’s whole body instantly deflated like a sad balloon.

Her visage went from hopeful to angry in the fraction of a second. She had completely forgotten about the collar, and now that Shirou had asked for it back, the damn thing seemed to weight on her neck like a shackle.

Michiru hurriedly unclasped the collar and shoved it in Shirou’s hands. She then gave him the most cynical smile she could muster, hissing. “At least I know to keep a deal.”

Blinking slowly, Shirou watched the tanuki storm away with a blank stare.

* * *

_This is so boring!_

A loud, exasperated groan echoed within the humble den when Michiru heavily threw herself on the bed. It had been a few hours since she returned from the pond, and Shirou had yet to arrive. Until then, her options for entertainment in that small cave were minimal, and she could only speculate what on Earth that wolf must be busying himself with. Michiru couldn’t even use her phone, given its battery had run out the previous day.

The fire burning by the entrance kept the place warm and pleasant, at least. The cloudy day had been rather chilly so far, which made the cave’s cozy environment all the more inviting. Using the ornate dagger Shirou had given her, Michiru had cut some rope and improvised a line on which to hang her wet clothes near the fire, then she spent a good while wrapped in towels next to it, simply enjoying the heat. Later, once her fur was rid of moisture, Michiru changed into a new black tank top and red shorts.

It didn’t take long for loneliness to make its looming presence known, however. It prickled the back of her head like a stubborn needle, growing stronger and stronger, until it had turned into a nail being hammered into her skull. Before then, it hadn’t dawned on Michiru how much Shirou’s company had become an essential part of her daily life. Back in Anima City, she would usually have distractions from his absence in the form of her phone, friends, sport practicing, her job, and so on. This time, though, his absence was impossible to ignore.

It was frustrating how, even though she was still angry at Shirou, Michiru found herself deeply yearning for his company. His touch, his voice… his _laughter_. Her mind kept returning to that moment at the pond, replaying the sound of his laughs. Realizing _she_ had been the one to bring it out of Shirou’s lips filled her body with glee.

_She wanted so badly to hear more of it…_

Frowning, the tanuki pulled the ornate dagger from her leather belt and rotated it in her hands, absentmindedly analyzing every little detail of the golden vines engraved on its dark oak handle. It surprised Michiru when Shirou entrusted that beautiful relic to her. He wanted her to keep it to help with daily tasks during their stay in the forest, besides being a good weapon just in case any trouble showed up. Michiru did have a knack for attracting it, at the end of the day.

In a way, that dagger wasn’t much different from Shirou. It was ancient and enigmatic, with its elegant finish hiding a long, unknown history of violence and bloodshed. Michiru felt drawn to its mysterious beauty, wishing to learn more about it. Wishing to master the weapon herself... even if that meant getting hurt in the process.

And hurt, she was.

It was easy to forget that the same hands that hugged Michiru so gently at night had caused unmeasurable pain and suffering to others. Instead of being scared, though, she found beauty in Shirou’s duality. He _chose_ to be his gentle self around her when he could have so easily showed her his claws. So much so that, after growing so close to Shirou in the past few months, this latest stab had stung particularly hard.

The dagger in Michiru’s hands glinted for a moment like a reminder of its sharp blade, which made her pause in thought. Had she grown so comfortable with pushing his boundaries, she crossed the line?

With a sigh, she slipped the weapon back in the sheath attached to her belt, then gazed longingly at the forested landscape extending beyond the cave entrance. Maybe she was the one at fault for ruining their pleasant moment at the pond. A pang of guilt tugged at Michiru’s heartstrings as she wondered whether Shirou had yet to return because he was mad at her.

She probably shouldn’t have pried into his personal life again.

_But that’s what she was best at, right? Prying… pestering..._

_Nagging._

Michiru raised a hand to rub her brows in a stressed manner. It was impressive how fast guilt had turned into self-loathing, invading her thoughts and festering like an infectious disease. She should have done better than falling to its cursed allure so easily.

In a desperate attempt to clear her head, Michiru stood up, grabbed a broom and started sweeping the den floor. It wasn’t dirty by all means, but having two beastmen in their beast forms all the time meant there was plenty of shed fur to clean. No wonder they spent most of their daily life in human form in this day and age.

One corner eventually grabbed her attention, being the only cluttered spot in the cave. Shirou was usually a very tidy person, so it was strange to see a bunch of logs, ropes, broken spears and torn sheets haphazardly piled against the wall. Puzzled, Michiru placed the broom aside and started removing the clutter. She figured that would be a favor for Shirou. Besides, the fire could use more wood right now.

She had removed two logs when her eyes spotted the blood on the wall.

_Another painting?_

Michiru raised an eyebrow. Why would a painting be under that pile of junk, of all places? Her curiosity only spiked further as she uncovered more of the bloody mural, rolling the logs one by one to another wall and pushing aside the rest of the objects. It didn’t take long for Michiru to realize that was no ordinary painting, however.

Unlike Shirou’s other works, the red strokes looked chaotic and inconsistent. In some areas, the blood looked thick and pigmented. In others, it was reduced to little more than dispersed splatters, almost as if someone had angrily whipped a paintbrush towards the wall. There were no hints of his characteristic elegant style, nor well-defined lines and shapes. Consequently, Michiru found herself struggling to piece together what exactly the image was supposed to represent.

_Something was wrong._

Among the uncovered red stains were a few indentations on the otherwise smooth rock. They were shallow and easy to miss completely if one didn’t pay attention. Thankfully, Michiru did. She stepped closer and carefully traced the thin lines with her fingers.

_Claw marks._

Teal eyes widened as the fur lining the back of Michiru’s neck stood on end. Suddenly, the once welcoming coziness of the den had thickened into a tense, suffocating atmosphere. The longer Michiru stared at the wall, the more of those dents she spotted, varying from short pale lines on the rock to deep gouges that made the girl’s stomach tie into a knot. She had a very, _very_ bad feeling about that mural. In many ways, unveiling it to the world felt like she was unleashing a long-sealed curse, but her curiosity made it impossible to turn back now.

The last log was also the biggest, its lumbering weight serving as a final warning of the secret hidden underneath. It took a few shoves to successfully dislodge it, and, after talking several steps back, Michiru could finally see the mural in its entirety.

The chaotic strokes of splattered blood and claw marks resembled slashes from a wild animal, creating crisscrossing patterns of all shapes and sizes. At the very center, those strokes were layered atop one another until they formed a messy red silhouette, which Michiru recognized as the bust of a wolf beastman. She initially assumed it was Shirou, but then she noticed the long locks of wavy hair blowing behind its head, as well as the hint of a feminine bosom at the base.

Unlike the rest of the painting, the strange figure’s eyes had been intricately drawn with charcoal. Two pitch-black voids swimming in a sea of red. Their frigid, ominous stare was relentless, burrowing into Michiru’s very being and squeezing her heart in its talons. She flinched.

But something else took Michiru’s attention away from those scornful eyes. The scent of blood.

With the biggest obstacle now gone, the coppery stench of dried blood immediately wafted in the air. It seemed different from the other paintings, though. It smelled… familiar. _Way too familiar_. Suspicious, Michiru approached the wall and inspected the macabre art piece, sniffing it closely. The cold surface of the stained rock bit at her fingertips and contrasted the warmth associated with fresh blood.

Her nostrils flared. Where had she smelled that scent before?

_Sounds of cracking bones, tearing flesh and gurgling gasps filled Michiru’s ears…_

Michiru’s eyes shot wide with a mix of horror and realization.

_She saw herself kneeling on a crimson puddle. Hot blood splattered on her face and body…_

Gasping, the tanuki jumped back and clutched her head. Painful memories from a distant nightmare flooded her head with the force of a tempest, overwhelming her senses with visions of death, gore and suffering. She squeezed her eyes shut in desperation, helpless as her mind summoned images of a gigantic, mutated rhino whose towering horn dripped with crimson liquid.

The pungent coppery scent was everywhere now, wrapping around Michiru’s body like constricting tendrils. Michiru could even _taste_ it.

_It was Shirou’s blood._

Michiru shook her head with a pained expression and stepped further back, not realizing one of the logs she had removed was right behind. When her feet hit the unseen obstacle, she lost balance and stumbled backwards with a startled yelp.

To Michiru’s surprise, though, her back met a warm, soft body instead of the rocky cave floor. A hand on her arm gently turned her around and, when Michiru saw who its owner was, a glimmer of relief shone in her teal eyes. “Shirou, you’re back!” She breathed with a smile.

Unfortunately, her joy was short-lived. Michiru’s smile vanished when she noticed Shirou’s eyes weren’t aimed at her, but straight ahead in a distant, empty stare, seemingly locked with the dark voids of the mural. The menacing depths of those onyx pits sucked Shirou in like a vortex, sending him through a rush of long buried emotions and memories he had sworn never to dig up again. Memories of a young, beautiful red wolfess whose company he once cherished greatly. Rich auburn locks framed her face like a work of art, while her gleeful smile could light up the darkest night.

Such features weren’t present on the mural at all. Instead of witty, spirited hazel eyes, there was only darkness and misery. The softness of her feminine face had been turned a chaotic amalgamation of controlled strokes and messy splatters, all of which seemed to move and pulsate the longer Shirou stared at. Somehow, the painterly figure seemed to open a mouthless grin at him, staring back with pure malice in those soulless eyes.

_You did this to me, Abiyad._

Shirou’s hackles bristled. Centuries ago, that voice used to bring nothing but joy… but now it only brought him anguish and sorrow, haunting his worst nightmares like a ravenous ghoul. He could even feel its talons squeezing his heart, ready to shred it into pieces just like _she_ had done so long ago _._ All it needed was the right opportunity. A _weakness_.

And as such, Shirou’s defenses immediately kicked in.

He should _not_ be thinking about such things. He should _not_ be recalling those forbidden memories. Worst of all, he should _not_ be looking at that godforsaken painting. It had been hidden away for a reason many decades ago, so why was Shirou facing it now??

_Michiru._

Sorrow suddenly turned into rage. It bubbled deep in his core and painted his vision bloody red. _How dare she?!_

Michiru, who had been watching her friend with visible concern, soon felt Shirou’s hand tighten around her upper arm, digging his fingers into skin in a way that made her grimace. She gave the hand a puzzled glance for only a moment, but when her eyes returned to Shirou’s face, she found him staring straight at her.

The sight made her blood turn ice cold.

Shirou looked _mad_. His features had twisted into a snarl so vicious, his upper lip was curled in a primal display of lupine teeth, as if he were ready to bite off her throat.

“So, this is what you do when I turn my back, huh?” The deep growl quaked through Michiru’s body and sent shivers down her bones. “You dig through my things?!”

Michiru pinned her ears back, cowering. She had never seen Shirou so angry at her before, and it was genuinely alarming. “That’s not true, I-” She tried to pry his hand off her arm, but he only yanked her closer in response with an even louder growl, causing his claws to puncture skin and draw blood. “Shirou, you’re _hurting_ me!” Michiru whimpered.

For the first time ever since she met Shirou, Michiru felt _terrified_ of him.

The frightened look in her eyes made the enraged wolf freeze in place. That was the same expression Shirou would often see on the faces of lowly thugs whenever they spotted him. It was a look of raw fear, sometimes even of impending death. Shirou recalled seeing it in Kurt’s face during that egregious _interrogation_ session, particularly when he closed a fist around the criminal’s throat to inflict unbearable pain.

_He had used the same hand holding Michiru now._

For a moment, Shirou stared pointedly at the blood trickling down the girl’s arm, then slowly unwrapped his fingers from it. Having Michiru look so scared of him unnerved Shirou far more than he would like to admit. Albeit the scowl marring his face didn’t waver, the anger boiling within did, toning down to a low simmer.

As soon as she felt his fingers leave her arm, Michiru yanked it away and distanced herself from Shirou with a visceral flinch. There was a mix of heartbreak and fear on her face as she inspected the cuts, and Shirou knew too well he owed her an apology for them… but he couldn’t do it. Not now, at least. His defenses were still up and refused to show any hint of vulnerability, even if that meant upsetting the tanuki further. In fact, in his defensive state, Shirou silently patched up the cracks in his walls with anger and arrogance, which had always been his quick fix of preference.

Huffing, Shirou turned away from Michiru and started pushing the logs back in place. The sooner that goddamned painting left his sight, the merrier. His movements were aggressive as he angrily shoved objects against the wall and purposely caused as much noise as possible.

Meanwhile, Michiru watched from her spot with a crestfallen, recoiled stance. She absentmindedly gripped the injured spot on her arm, hissing lightly at the stinging sensation while her mind tried to come up with something to say.

“Shirou…” She spoke so quietly, it was barely audible at all. A flick of Shirou’s ear let her know he was listening. “Look, I… I’m really sorry. I just thought I could-”

“You thought wrong.” He snapped. “That’s your problem, tanuki. You keep making assumptions about other people and sticking your nose in their business!”

A wave of _déjà-vu_ struck Michiru like a brick. Shirou’s words had been eerily close to Nazuna’s in their countless arguments over the years, which lit up a furious spark in her eyes. Remarks like those always stung way too close to her heart.

“What, do you think I have a crystal ball to magically predict everything??” She growled back, which caught Shirou off guard. “All I did was try to clean up a mess, how could I guess it was hiding something personal?”

“You should have asked first. The last thing I need is having you snooping around _my_ den.” He grumbled stubbornly, still piling up the objects against the wall without looking at her. By now, the mural had been completely covered.

Michiru wasn’t having it, though. She ignored his comment to address a much more pressing matter. “Shirou, that painting isn’t like the others, is it?” She spoke in a slow, firm voice. Eyes narrowing with suspicion. “That blood is _yours_.”

The question made Shirou’s whole body tense up. “As I said before, I don’t have to tell you everything about my life.” He spat in a warning tone, then turned around and headed for the cave entrance. It was then Michiru noticed he had left her recovered belongings next to it, along with the water buckets and several fish tied to a spear.

At this point, Shirou’s snappy, evasive attitude was only grinding Michiru’s nerves further. In any other circumstance, she would have respected his boundaries and left him alone, at least until the both of them had cooled down enough to have a proper conversation again. This time wasn’t the case, though. What Michiru saw on that mural had deeply disturbed her. There was no denying the fact Shirou had used his own blood to paint it, and the implications of such action were extremely concerning. She needed to confront him about this _now._

“Goddamnit, Shirou.” She hissed in dismay, rubbing her brows. “I ask you these things because I _care_ about you!”

A surprised squeak escaped her lips when, in the blink of an eye, Shirou closed the distance between them and cornered her against a wall for the second time that day. Unfortunately, instead of the playful, exciting atmosphere from earlier, the air around them was charged with frustration and animosity. Michiru was quick to recompose herself and straighten up, refusing to look intimidated by the wolfman. Sparks bounced off where their stares met.

“And _why_ should you care?!” He gnarred indignantly. “I’m immortal, Michiru! Why do you insist on policing everything I do and feel? I don’t need your help!”

At first, Michiru merely stared at him with a stunned expression. Then, gradually, it phased into multiple emotions. Mainly confusion, hurt, anger and, lastly, betrayal. Her lip curled up in a canine snarl of her own.

“You don’t need my help?!” Michiru seethed, then shoved Shirou away in a bolt of rage-filled strength that caught him completely off guard. “That’s gold coming from the guy who crawled to my bed every time he had a nightmare!”

Silence struck between the two beastmen like a lightning bolt, igniting the already tense atmosphere of the den in flames. Shirou’s mouth hung open, his mind still catching up with Michiru’s shocking words. She, on the other hand, kept her firm stance without breaking eye contact even for a split moment.

For the first time since it started, their unspoken agreement had been voiced out loud. Sadly, instead of being addressed in a pleasant, level-headed conversation, its seal was broken in an explosive argument that shook the very foundations of their friendship.

Something ached inside Shirou’s chest. Michiru’s sharp words had pierced it like knives, shredding his pride and confidence to an extent he had never experienced before. Having such an intimate, endearing part of their relationship weaponized against him felt… _wrong._ Even Shirou’s defenses couldn’t prepare him for it.

After what felt like the longest minute of their lives, the silence was finally shattered when Shirou’s stern voice filled the den again.

“Out. Now.”

Michiru’s angry visage gave way to confusion. “What?”

“Get out. _Now!_ ” He growled louder this time, shooting the girl an ice-cold glare. “I’ve had enough of your bullshit.”

Michiru hesitated for only a moment before her temper flared again. At that point, pressing on any further would only result in a physical confrontation, and neither of them wanted to go that far. Such scenario could damage their relationship in ways it might never fully recover from.

“Fine! Have it your way.” She spat bitterly and angrily stomped past Shirou, making sure to step on his toes on her way to the cave entrance. “You damn stingy wolf.”

The insult combined with Michiru’s petty attack made countless voices swarm Shirou’s mind, as if anger, frustration and primal instincts had fused into a chaotic ball of fury. It demanded him to go after the impudent female and set her straight, even if that meant forcefully dominating her… but Shirou didn’t do that. In fact, he didn’t even bother fancying such thoughts, for he was simply too emotionally drained.

After having Michiru reopen his deepest scar, followed by their brief, but heated argument, he wanted nothing but a break to sort out his own thoughts. He was sure Michiru wanted it too. Pushing each other to the brink of heartbreak would do them no good, especially considering how stubborn they were.

Sighing exasperatedly, Shirou gave the messy log pile another uneasy glance.

He could still feel _her_ hateful stare burning a hole through his skull.

* * *

Hours later, Michiru was perched up on a tree facing the montane creek. Even with the calming sound of its rippling waters, her mind still buzzed with bottled anger. Her exchange with Shirou kept replaying in it like a broken record, stoking the flames of frustration and bitterness every time they dwindled.

She had tried to distract herself from such thoughts by exploring the woods. It was Michiru’s first time walking so far from the den on her own, so she paid close attention to every landmark to draw a mental map of the mountain. Michiru also made sure to stay close to the stream the whole time. Burning so much energy on trekking along the mountainside, as well as memorizing the forested landscape, proved to be quite efficient at keeping her mind away from a certain wolf.

Unfortunately, whenever she took a break to replenish her stamina or even appreciate the beautiful view, those pesky thoughts would launch themselves at her like a pack of starved dogs.

Sighing, Michiru slouched back on the thick tree trunk and mindlessly carved misshapen forms on its bark with her dagger. The ancient tree cradled her body almost perfectly, with its trunk having split into multiple large branches covered in soft, velvety moss. Michiru had quickly grown to appreciate the fluffy green coverage as the forest’s natural bedding, and this time was no exception. That spot was shockingly comfortable.

_But it wasn’t as soft as Shirou’s fur._

She grimaced and mentally cursed herself. Why was it so hard to stop thinking about him?!

Ever since they argued, Michiru had been feeling something oddly… _wrong_ deep in her chest. Where thoughts of Shirou would often bring her warmth and bliss, there was only an empty, numbing void. It tickled her ribs and made her heart ache with a harrowing sense of longing. Michiru couldn’t help but feel like something was missing. That she was _incomplete_.

She stilled the dagger in her hands, thinking back to how lonely the night felt when Shirou wasn’t around to keep her company in bed. That had never been a problem before they started their precious little agreement, but now… it was _painful_ to spend the night alone at times.

_And she had rubbed that on Shirou’s face in the lowest of blows._

Tanuki ears pinned back as a glint of remorse sparked to life in Michiru’s eyes. In a bolt of rage, she had done the unthinkable. She had essentially _shamed_ Shirou for partaking in their unspoken agreement. Now their most intimate, treasured activity was tainted by spite, and Michiru wasn’t sure whether it could be salvaged. This certainly wasn’t what she had in mind when she pondered over finally addressing that topic out loud.

The thought of never sleeping in Shirou’s arms again made her stomach hurt…

Suddenly, her abdomen shook with a loud, gurgling noise, startling Michiru out of her thoughts.

_… or maybe she was just hungry._

She rolled her eyes and sheathed the dagger away before taking a quick look at the sky. Michiru hadn’t realized how much time had passed until now, too caught up in the clutches of her troubled mind. The evening sun was already on its way down, and a chilling breeze signaled the incoming dark. Still, Michiru didn’t want to return to the den and face the source of her troubles so soon, which left her with quite the dilemma.

Teal eyes narrowed. _What would happen now?_

Her pride refused to give in to remorse just yet. No matter how much Michiru tried to unlatch its claws from her heartstrings, it only squeezed them harder and snapped its jaws at her like a stubborn beast. For now, Michiru could only brush that aside and focus elsewhere… such as the piercing hunger plaguing her empty stomach. She hadn’t eaten anything since her quick snack at late morning.

_I should look for berry patches, those aren’t so hard to track._

With that in mind, Michiru nimbly climbed down the tree and walked towards the creek shore. After taking a moment to quench her thirst, she watched her reflection on the rippling water as little sparkles surrounded her form. Her snout grew longer and thinner, while her cheeks and jawline became noticeably more angular. Soon enough, Michiru was no longer a tanuki, but a beautiful young wolfess.

Staring at the reflection of her newly changed features felt… odd now. She usually avoided morphing into that specific form as much as possible, given how, over the years, Michiru had noticed it made Shirou extremely uncomfortable. Whenever she turned into a wolf, he would tense up and actively avoid eye contact, even going as far as finding excuses to leave the place. Originally, Michiru shrugged it off and made jokes about Shirou being unable to handle females of his own race. However, her perspective changed after having found that mysterious mural in his den… and now Michiru couldn’t help but wonder if seeing her in this form brought back memories he would rather forget.

For a split second, she saw her reflection on the crystalline water change into a wolfess with blood covered fur and ominous, pitch-black voids for eyes.

Startled, Michiru gasped and jumped to her feet. The reflection had gone back to normal in the blink of an eye, but the presence of that haunting face still lingered in her mind, making the fur on her back and neck stand on end.

“Ugh, get a hold of yourself, Michiru.” She growled to herself in frustration. “You’re just seeing things.”

She gave the rushing water one more glance before hastily stomping her way across the stream, redirecting her attention to the reason why she had transformed into a wolf in the first place: tracking food. Michiru’s nose was already sharp in tanuki form, but she was a much more efficient tracker as a wolf, bear or elephant. She rarely ever picked the latter two, though, considering their hulking size usually meant her clothes would end up in shreds.

For the next forty minutes or so, Michiru trekked in the woods with her canine nose constantly sniffing and pointing around. Tracking down a plant without Shirou’s guidance proved to be way harder than she had expected. Sure, it was an unmoving target… but that also meant a berry bush would leave no tracks for her to follow. The fact Michiru had yet memorize its scent properly only made it more difficult. Searching for it in the middle of the forest was no different from seeking a needle in a haystack.

Impatience and hunger slowly ate away at her stomach like acid, ruining Michiru’s mood and reducing it to a shriveled pit. At some point she even found a bush, but, unfortunately, all the berries had already been eaten by a passing animal. In a moment of blind anger, Michiru caught herself considering tracking down the culprit to kill and eat it.

The realization made her eyes widen in shock. Was that her instincts speaking up again?

Michiru gritted her teeth and shook her head. Lately, such strange urges had been growing harder and harder to ignore, like nagging voices constantly whispering in her ears. For the most part, they would be little more than silly thoughts. Sometimes, though, Michiru found them rather unnerving.

Frowning, Michiru gazed down at her hands while slowly flexing her clawed fingers. Her eyes carefully took in every little detail on the soft pads covering her palms. Their black color blended in almost perfectly with the dark brown fur of her hands.

Those were the paws of a beastman, a creature who walked on the thin line separating the world of humans from feral animals. When she first transformed, Michiru was terrified of the primal instincts constantly plaguing her mind, fearing they would eventually turn her into a savage. A mindless beast. In the months she spent faring by herself, such fears only intensified as she struggled to suppress those urges. At first, Michiru often found herself running on all fours, challenging stray dogs for scraps, and communicating with grunts, growls and yips.

It took months for her to balance human and beast sides like other beastmen do, and even then, it was mostly by sheer suppression. By the time she arrived at Anima City, she had entirely rejected her beastman body and only wanted to be human again. Beastmanitis be damned!

Thankfully, Michiru gradually learned to accept that new part of herself… although lingering human inhibitions still prevented her from exploring the beastly aspects of her body outside of rage bursts. That had always felt like a murky territory far too scary to delve into.

Well, that was until Shirou brought her to the mountain.

The forest seemed to call to that primal side hidden deep within her core, encouraging it to awaken and flourish. As such, Michiru was becoming increasingly drawn to her primal, animalistic side, finally giving in to its mysterious allure little by little… especially around Shirou, if their earlier frolicking was any indication.

Whether that was good or bad, however, Michiru had yet to decide.

_As if she didn’t have enough inner conflicts already._

Huffing, she shook her head and pushed through the foliage. Fallen leaves littered the forest floor in an endless blanket of browns and greens. They felt cold under Michiru’s bare feet, reminding her she still wasn’t wearing shoes. Somehow, it didn’t bother her. It was surprisingly soothing, in fact.

The air was heavy with scents of leaves, soil and moisture, and they only intensified whenever Michiru rustled the surrounding bushes. Now and then, small animals like squirrels and birds would show up to peek at the stranger in their habitat. Michiru offered them friendly smiles whenever they came closer with curious faces.

According to Shirou, humans had killed off the bears and wolves that inhabited the mountains lining the whole island. Without big predators, the wildlife became almost fearless. Even beastmen like Michiru hardly ever got a reaction from them other than curiosity. Giggling, she picked a small nut from the ground and offered it to a grey squirrel on a nearby tree. It twitched its nose in a suspicious manner, then slowly climbed down towards the treat. After a few soft-spoken words from Michiru, it garnered the courage to pick the nut in its jaws before darting away as fast as possible.

Giggling again, she crouched down and searched the leaves for more nuts, when, suddenly, a new scent stole her attention. It had a familiar sharp, coppery tang that contrasted with the gentler smells of nature drifting in the breeze. Michiru’s nostrils flared with a loud sniff as she tried to pinpoint the exact source, until she spotted the red stained leaves.

_Blood._

Canine ears perked up in alert. The crimson substance was dry, which explained why Michiru hadn’t caught its weak scent. It didn’t look that old, however, and more splatters were visible farther ahead. Intrigued, she stood up and followed the blood tracks, flaring her nostrils as the scent gradually grew stronger.

A bad feeling creeped up Michiru’s spine, especially when the stains became noticeably bigger, damper and more pungent. A voice deep inside her head warned Michiru against continuing, certain that whatever awaited the girl at the end of those tracks wouldn’t be good news… but Michiru was simply too stubborn to give up now. Her curiosity easily overcame all reluctance.

She didn’t know how much time had passed, nor how far she had trekked. Eventually, the red blotches looked so vibrant and wet, Michiru wouldn’t be surprised if the blood was still warm.

It was then she saw it.

The little japanese serow was lying on its side. Blood soaked its whole underbelly and saturated the dirt underneath its body, turning the brown a deep shade of maroon. Wheezing, raspy breaths left its nose and mouth, followed a spurt of red liquid when it coughed in between. A broken arrow shaft jutting out of its paunch made Michiru’s stomach sink with ice-cold realization. _It was the serow Shirou had shot._

She covered her mouth in horror at the sight. With the day being so eventful, Michiru had completely forgotten about the failed hunt. To think that poor animal had been agonizing in a slow death while she blissfully played tag with Shirou… it made her feel physically ill.

To make matters worse, the buck panicked as soon as it caught a glimpse of the approaching female. It let out a loud, strangled bleat and tried to stand up, only for its weakened legs to buckle from the mere strain, sending it back down instantly. Blinded by fear, the serow kept attempting again and again, each time leading to it thrashing on the ground like a fish out of water.

“Stop!” Michiru cried out, morphing back to her tanuki form before running towards the struggling buck. In an impulsive move, she tackled its body and tried to lock her arm around its head. For such a small creature, the serow was shockingly strong. As it wrestled against Michiru’s grip, the short, but sharp horns adorning its temples scraped her cheeks, neck and shoulders. She hissed through gritted teeth from the stinging pain.

Thankfully, exhaustion claimed the buck’s body soon enough. It went completely still in Michiru’s arms, gasping and panting heavily. Blood sputtered from its mouth and onto her arms with each labored breath. Grimacing, Michiru waited a long minute before she relaxed her hold, convinced the serow was too burned out to fight again. Only then she could properly catch her breath.

_I caused this._

She leaned back and took a long look at the animal pinned under her legs. The raw fear shining in those bulging dark eyes made Michiru’s heart ache with guilt.

If it hadn’t been for her interruption during the hunt, Shirou would have made a clean kill and none of this unnecessary suffering would have happened. Once again, she couldn’t help but feel relentlessly judged by the surrounding forest, especially when the trees creaked and groaned under a gust of wind. To Michiru, it sounded like they were whispering among themselves. Deciding a fitting punishment for her sins.

_It’s all my fault._

By now, a typhoon of emotions and thoughts raged within her head. Their voices overwhelmed Michiru’s senses, merging into a buzzing white noise without much coherence. At most, the tanuki could make out one recurring question amidst all the chaos: what was she going to do?

There were no predators to end the serow’s agony, and Michiru was way too far from the den to get Shirou’s help. _She was alone_.

… but then again, _why_ would she seek Shirou at all?

Michiru furrowed her brows upon recalling his hurtful words, the way he had so easily dismissed her care and rejected her help. If those meant so little to him, it made no sense for her to seek his help either. Instead, Michiru should prove Shirou she could handle herself, even out in the wilderness.

Besides, she was the one who caused the serow’s ailment. It only made sense for her to take the responsibility of ending it, right?

With a deep, nervous breath, she reached for the sheath on her belt and pulled out the dagger. For a while, Michiru merely stared into the reflection on the curved blade, observing the bleeding cuts marring her cheeks, as well as the glints of remorse, pain and hesitance shining in her own teal eyes.

 _Ending a life_. Shirou had always made it seem so easy, while Michiru found it unthinkable. She was a pacifist at heart, and even the scummiest of people didn’t deserve such fate in her eyes. This frustrated Shirou in many instances. At times he would point out she was simply too nice for her own good and that, by offering her kindness to those who didn’t deserve it, Michiru might hurt herself in the process one day.

Although she never paid those comments much attention, they did raise the question of how far her pacifist ideals could stretch before finally snapping. Ideally, Michiru shouldn’t be so hesitant about ending the serow’s suffering. After all, she knew perfectly well it was the right thing to do… so what was the matter?

Hiding in the deepest confines of her mind, a creeping fear bared its menacing fangs… the fear of losing herself as soon as she shed her first victim’s blood. Michiru didn’t want to become a violent, cruel person like the criminals she often dealt with in Anima City. Her strong moral compass played an important part in her identity, and to break it would be the same as letting go of her very foundations.

The longer Michiru pondered over it, the heavier the dagger felt in her hand.

Slowly, the prowling fear came out of the shadows within her troubled mind. To Michiru’s surprise, it bore the face of a familiar cougar.

 _“Humans destroy everything they touch.”_ Kurt’s ghostly voice echoed inside the tanuki’s skull, his feline lips curling into a wide, toothy grin that had long been branded on her memories. _“Are you ready to become a killer, Michiru?”_

Hearing him again, even if only in her mind, made Michiru’s fur stand on end.

A snort brought her attention back to the buck in question. It wriggled weakly under Michiru for only a moment before going still again. There was a low, but sharp whistle to each wheezing breath leaving its blood-covered nostrils. A sound Michiru wouldn’t forget so soon.

She gulped down an inexistent knot in her throat and shifted the serow’s front leg to expose more of its chest, holding the limb firmly when she was met with some resistance. Now Michiru had a good view of the subtle throb underneath the pectoral fur, a clear sign of the animal’s still beating heart. Her hand trembled violently when she raised the dagger above it.

“C’mon.” Michiru whispered to herself. “You can do this.”

Silence washed over the forest, saturating the atmosphere with ominous tension as the blade hovered over its target. Michiru closed her eyes, pursed her lips in concentration and did her best to muster all the strength and courage necessary for the difficult task. Just one strike and everything would be over…

_… I can’t._

With a jerk of her hand, Michiru dropped the dagger on the ground and released a deep breath she didn’t realize she had been holding.

She felt like a coward. A failure.

Michiru wondered what Shirou would think of her now. Even after looking into the poor buck’s eyes and witnessing his suffering in person, she couldn’t take responsibility for the pain she had caused. How could she stand by her ideals when she displayed such weakness?

“I’m sorry… I’m not strong enough.” Michiru all but whimpered, raising her eyes to meet the serow’s.

To her surprise, however, its eyes no longer expressed the terror of a prey fighting for survival. Instead, its gaze was mellow and distant, belonging to a creature who had long given in to exhaustion and blood loss. There was no fight left in that perishing body, even if its heart desperately insisted on beating. By now, it was obvious the buck didn’t have much time left.

The sight tugged at Michiru’s heartstrings. The animal’s pain was palpable, and seeing her own face reflected on its eyes made the burden of guilt feel even heavier on her shoulders. Its tortured stare _begged_ for her help, pleading for Michiru to cut the last vital thread keeping the buck in the realm of the living. It was raw. Desperate.

She grimaced. This wasn’t fair… but then again, there was nothing fair about life.

Michiru’s trembling hand closed into a fist around the dagger handle, her grip so tight, it drained the blood from her knuckles. Gritting her teeth, she slowly raised the blade above the serow’s chest again, fixating her eyes on the spot where skin and fur throbbed with life.

Over time, her own heartbeat synchronized with the buck’s, its erratic, powerful drum deafening all other sounds in their surroundings. In a way, Michiru felt like an extension of the animal’s body. Its distress became hers in the form of an intense ache in her core, followed by fear and dread. A cold, tingling numbness soon ran over her fingers like the gentle touch of Death itself. Michiru could almost see the dark entity kneeling next to her, holding the dagger-bearing hand in a soothing, yet unsettling gesture.

_Are you ready to become a killer?_

With a deep, shaky breath, Michiru squeezed her eyes shut and lurched the blade down.

A guttural, anguished wail broke the silence of the forest. It sent birds flying off trees, startled squirrels back into their dens, and made land rodents scram away towards the safety of bushes.

It took a while for Michiru to realize the pained cry had come from her own lips.

Each pump of the punctured heart made hot blood gush onto Michiru’s hand. Although the sensation made her feel sick, she stayed in place until the organ finally stilled to a halt. The serow’s eyes, ever so piercing in its final moments, glossed over as the last breath left its lungs. Its languished body now reduced to a limp, empty vessel.

Michiru was petrified, unable to look away from those lifeless eyes. An incomprehensible mix of emotions flooded her senses, only serving to stoke the burning ache growing in her chest. Like an infection, it festered and contaminated every positive thought in Michiru’s mind, until there was nothing left but sorrow, guilt and grief.

The concept of having given the serow a merciful, humane end was all but forgotten, and it didn’t help that Michiru’s arms, legs and clothes had been covered in its blood. When she looked down at herself, all she could see was a monster. A murderer.

Suddenly, water drops started falling on the dead animal’s pelt. At first, Michiru thought it had started raining, but it quickly dawned on her that those were her tears. Every time she tried to wipe them off, the tears intensified tenfold. Soon enough, the tanuki’s whole body was trembling with violent sobs and whimpers.

“I’m so sorry.” She whispered repeatedly, like a mantra. It did little to soothe the pain of remorse.

But it didn’t fall on deaf ears.

A warm palm gently rested on Michiru’s shoulder. Surprised, she whipped her head to the side and found herself staring into a familiar pair of green eyes. However, unlike the cold, angry gaze she had witnessed back at the den, Shirou’s eyes were tender with unmatched warmth. They offered light amidst the suffocating darkness that dominated Michiru’s head, while also drawing her in like a moth to a flame. Right now, she couldn’t care less about their previous argument. All Michiru knew was that she _needed_ Shirou.

There was little hesitation when the tanuki threw herself into his arms. She buried her face in his chest fur and bawled like a pup, letting all the anguish building up since that morning finally pour out. In only a matter of seconds, Shirou’s fur was already soaked in her tears. He didn’t mind it, though, and simply wrapped his arms around the girl’s trembling body.

A light sense of _déjà-vu_ reminded him of a certain stormy night not too long ago, when he had to calm Michiru down from a night terror.

With a deep breath, Shirou rested his chin on top of her head and slowly rubbed her back in soothing motions. He stared at the dead serow sprawled on the floor behind her, feeling both pride and sympathy for his friend’s accomplishment.

Admittedly, after witnessing and causing countless deaths in his lifetime, Shirou had grown desensitized to the act of killing many centuries ago. At times, it was just a mindless ordeal, especially when involving criminals. Michiru, on the other hand, was simply too good a person to do such thing.

Watching her struggles to bring a final rest to the serow had not only been heartbreaking, but also served as a reminder of death’s full toll in the mortal world.

Maybe Shirou needed that reminder, after all.

* * *

It was late at night when Michiru woke up.

Opening her eyes was trickier than usual, considering how heavy and sore her eyelids felt. To make matters worse, a throbbing headache was hammering her skull as well. Groaning, she slowly leaned up to a sitting position and tiredly rubbed her face.

Even in the dark of night, it was easy to tell she was back at the den. The gentle moonlight coming from the entrance lit up the place enough for Michiru to spot Shirou’s many murals. Something seemed off, though. Usually, he would have lit a fire outside by now to provide light and warmth for the night, but the fire ring looked untouched instead.

_Wait, how did she get there in the first place?_

Michiru furrowed her brows, prying her mind for memories. The last thing she remembered was clinging to Shirou’s chest, crying and sobbing inconsolably. Her cheeks flushed pink in embarrassment. She really needed to stop crying around Shirou, as it was becoming too much of a habit for her liking. The thought alone made her scoff at herself.

But it didn’t take long for embarrassment to turn into something much darker.

Without the friendly glow of fire, the den had become ruled by shadows. They seemed to pulsate and reach out with thorny tendrils, slowly surrounding Michiru in a fierce grip that squeezed her chest. She grunted at the sensation, puzzled. Where was it coming from?

She dug further into her mind for answers and, as the memories slowly returned, so did unwanted feelings. Shame, sorrow, anxiety, remorse… they prickled her insides like pins and needles. Michiru leaned back on her hands, burying her fingers in the soft pelts.

_Pelts?_

She looked down, realizing she was resting on Shirou’s bed. Fluffy serow pelts were draped over the simple straw mattress. When her fingers combed through the long, soft fur, Michiru recalled seeing the same fur drenched with blood. For a moment, she could swear it throbbed in the familiar, erratic pace of a dying heart.

_It wasn’t a dream, then._

A bittersweet expression crossed her features as she stroked the pelt and relished its softness. Michiru remembered everything now, from the serow’s scared eyes to its final wheezing breath. The swarm of emotions that followed only worsened her pounding headache.

Sighing, Michiru reached up to tuck a hair strand away from her eyes, but she froze in place once she realized there was dried blood still staining her hands. A heavy weight dropped in her stomach, which lead to a powerful nausea that hit her senses like a punch. Michiru jumped to her feet and headed for a nearby water bucket Shirou kept for washing dishes, not thinking twice before dunking her bloodied hands in it.

For the next five minutes, Michiru tried desperately to scrub her hands and wrists clean, even reaching the point of rubbing whole patches of fur off. A hiss escaped her lips as the raw, exposed skin stung throbbingly. Soon, the crystalline water had turned a dirty maroon, both from fresh and old blood.

After she was done cleaning herself, Michiru sat against the wall with tired, distressed eyes. Her panicked burst seemed to have burned through too much energy, too fast. It left her lightheaded on top of the obnoxious headache already abusing her sanity.

Even though she was in pain, at least being rid of the red substance brought her some peace of mind. In fact, the burning ache kept Michiru grounded away from the chaotic thoughts buzzing in her head. A mix of negative memories, self-hate and grief.

_She probably deserved the pain, anyway._

Before guilt could swallow her whole, however, a bright blue glow seeped into the cave and washed over the rocky floor, dispersing the shadows enveloping Michiru’s body like cockroaches scrambling for shelter. Squinting her eyes, the tanuki quickly found her growing angst replaced with intrigue and wonder. That looked far too bright to be just moonlight.

At first, she thought against pursuing the light’s source and simply stayed still, waiting for any hint of danger in the safety of the den. As the minutes passed by, though, her curiosity grew harder and harder to ignore. It chewed on her fears and prodded her skull with increasing intensity, until Michiru finally gave in.

With a low groan, she carefully rose to her feet and took hesitant steps towards the cave entrance. The pulsing glow was still strong enough to make her eyes burn when she looked out, but, thankfully, it was only a matter of seconds until they adapted to it, allowing the girl to take the full view in.

What Michiru saw outside left her speechless.

About twenty meters away, the Silver Wolf sat underneath the gaze of the full moon. His fur flowed in the wind like flickering silver flames, while the grass around his paws rippled in a sea of green. When Shirou’s long, silky tail swept across the floor, fireflies flew up and circled the divine beast, as if rivaling the countless stars that glimmered amidst the night sky. It was truly a breathtaking view.

Michiru was awestruck. She hadn’t seen the Silver Wolf ever since Shirou battled Alan five years ago and, considering how firm he sounded when denying her previous request, she wondered what must have changed his mind. Taking a deep breath, Michiru slowly and carefully walked towards the gigantic creature.

Albeit Shirou had his back turned to her, his hearing quickly picked approaching footsteps. He flicked a large ear back and looked at the tanuki from the corner of his eye.

“You’re awake.” His voice sounded like a mix of rumbling thunder and a deep growl. In a way, Michiru pictured it as the sound of rocks rolling inside a wooden barrel.

She stopped by his side and nodded, looking up to meet his glowing aqua eyes. The sheer size of the Silver Wolf never failed to impress her. Even when standing up, Michiru could barely reach his knee with her hands. “How did I… I mean, I don’t remember coming here.” She mumbled sheepishly.

“You cried yourself to sleep, so I carried you here.” He spoke in a slow, gentle tone that resounded deep within Michiru’s body, giving her goosebumps. There was a hesitant pause before he continued. “I saw what you did, Michiru. That was really brave of you.”

Michiru’s whole body visibly became stiff with tension. She frowned and sat down next to Shirou, her voice sounding thick with guilt. “It was my fault that buck was hurt, and ending its pain was the least I could do.”

“But it wasn’t easy.” Shirou’s gaze looked even more piercing in Silver Wolf form, staring straight into the depths of Michiru’s mind. She couldn’t help but wince.

“… no, it wasn’t.” She scowled.

The wind blowing between them brought forth a tense moment of silence. Shivering lightly, Michiru moved closer to the towering beast, basking in the warmth that emanated from his glowing body. Shirou noticed that and quietly curled his tail around her. Judging from the weak smile she gave him, Michiru appreciated his gesture.

“Sometimes, doing the right thing comes with great pain. Not everyone has the guts to do it.” Shirou said matter-of-factly. “… and yet you did it, despite your qualms about killing.” He turned his head to face Michiru, trapping her eyes in the glowing sea of blues and greens that were his own. “I’m very proud of you, Michiru.”

A gigantic wave of emotions swept through Michiru and stole away her ability to form words. Somehow, Shirou’s comment had left her completely floored. Her jaw hung open as testimony to her shocked state of mind, while she mentally scrambled around in search of a proper response to such a compliment.

Michiru shook her head to calm the cyclone raging inside, settling for the first emotion she could grasp. Denial. “Well, I don’t feel proud in the slightest.” She grumbled and crossed her arms. “What I did to that poor thing was horrible, it was cruel, I-” For only a moment, her voice cracked into a low whimper. “I made it suffer for a whole day, Shirou. Where’s the good in _that_??”

The towering beast’s intense gaze was firm and unreadable, which Michiru found increasingly hard to bear. She averted her eyes away and sunk down into the warm fur. A feeble attempt to hide away from the looming claws of remorse.

“Michiru, I shot that arrow, not you.” Shirou’s booming voice broke the silence once again. Its tone was fierce, yet calm. “Just like Kurt set up the bomb that killed those citizens. It wasn’t your fault.”

The impact of his words was immediate. Michiru’s pupils shrunk down to pinholes as blood turned freezing cold in her veins. Simultaneously, Kurt’s feline face was summoned to her mind, his fanged grin sending shivers through Michiru’s very bones.

Scowling, she whipped her head around and faced Shirou with a murderous glare that would make most people flinch. “This isn’t about Kurt.” She all but seethed.

Shirou remained unfazed by her hostility, however, and maintained a firm expression. “No, it isn’t.” His eyes narrowed into a piercing stare. “It’s about _you_. More specifically, your habit of blaming yourself for everyone’s actions.”

“But-”

“I know what you’re doing.” He interrupted. “Carrying the world on your shoulders and prioritizing the safety of others above your own. I do it all the time. Difference is, I’m _immortal_ , and you aren’t.” The words left his mouth like flying blades, ready to slash through Michiru’s defense walls. “Keep walking that path and you will destroy yourself.”

A glint of defiance shone in Michiru’s eyes, but it dimmed down as quickly as it had sparked to life, turning into glistening tears pooling in the corners of her eyes. She looked away and gritted her teeth.

Shirou was right, and she knew it.

Still, her pride and stubbornness prevented her from giving in just yet. “You seem to care an awful lot about me, for someone who didn’t think twice before kicking me out earlier.” She spat bitterly, crossing her arms.

The growing tension in the air made Shirou grimace and fold his ears. “… I do care, Michiru.” He whispered, although, in his current form, the words were still loud enough to resound deep in the earth beneath their feet. “It’s why I don’t like to see you hurting yourself.”

Teal eyes widened at the admission. It sounded oddly out of character for Shirou to make such a statement, given how emotionally dry he tended to be. Deep inside, her heart fluttered with excitement, but Michiru chose to hold it back rather than falling into Shirou’s charm so easily. Besides, his words rang a bell in her mind.

“Is that why you turned into the Silver Wolf?” She raised eyebrow. “You felt guilty for how you treated me, so now you’re trying to make me happy.”

It was strange to witness the Silver Wolf himself look flustered. If it wasn’t for his strong glow, Michiru wondered if she would see red on his cheeks. Regardless, his lack of response confirmed her assumption, which made Michiru smirk knowingly.

“I care about you too, Shirou.” She leaned back on his tail and gently stroked her fingers through its radiant fur. “That’s why I pressed you earlier, just like you’re pressing me now.”

An annoyed growl escaped Shirou’s lips. “I’ve been dealing with these things for a thousand years now. I can take care of myself.”

“Can you, really?” She raised her eyebrow again and pointed a thumb towards the den behind them. “That painting was made with your own blood, Shirou. Nothing about that tells me you’re doing fine by yourself.”

Bringing that mural up earned Michiru a warning glare from the Silver Wolf, but, this time, he managed to keep his temper down. The last thing he wanted was to snap and upset his friend for the second time that day. Besides, he had to admit she did have a point.

The next few minutes were spent in silence, with both beastmen mentally mulling over the words they had just exchanged. For Michiru, it was easy to lose herself in Shirou’s soft fur and radiating warmth. She melted down into his pulsing light, feeling her thoughts become fuzzy among swirling daydreams. It was as if a veil of tranquility had draped itself over the tanuki.

Now and then, though, such peace would be broken by flashes of a dead serow and a bloodied dagger held in her hands. For a moment, Michiru could swear she smelled blood in the air, only to look down at herself and realize her clothes were still stained with the dried substance. She scowled in disgust and inwardly scolded herself for not having changed back at the cave.

Meanwhile, it was Shirou’s turn to be haunted by guilt. He kept recalling their previous argument, then thought about the words Michiru had just told him. Indeed, he didn’t seem to be doing all that great on his own. There were times his past would arise from the shadows, clawing and chewing on his sanity until Shirou snapped. In such moments, it wasn’t uncommon for him to resort to self-harm in order to ground himself away from the ghosts of his sins.

It was hard to let go of old habits, though. A lifetime spent as a lone wolf, both figuratively and literally, taught him not to trust people easily with matters of the heart. Especially since his own heart had long turned into a petrified shell, hidden behind countless walls. Part of Shirou was convinced this was for the best… but his other side was already growing tired of it by now. It yearned for more than a life of loneliness. It yearned… for Michiru.

And Shirou had no idea what to make of that.

He looked down at her from the corner of an eye, silently considering what his next action should be. Shirou knew he still owed her an apology, but should he give it to Michiru? This would be the perfect opportunity to push her away for good, after all. Then he would have his lone wolf life back and everything would go back to normal.

_And that meant no more sleeping with Michiru, no more caresses, no more warmth…_

It didn’t take much longer for him to make his mind.

“Michiru.” Shirou started with a deep sigh. “I… I’m sorry for what I said earlier. You were just trying to help, and I shouldn’t have kicked you out like that.”

Michiru was startled when his rumbling voice shattered the silence around them, but quickly recomposed herself and stared up at him with a pensive expression. Then, to his surprise, she merely shook her head. “Actually… you were right. I should have respected your boundaries.” She closed her eyes and leaned back on Shirou’s silky tail, letting its warmth engulf her form like the softest of blankets. “It’s like what you said before, you don’t have to tell me _everything_ , and it’s not my place to pry.”

“… but maybe I want to.”

Michiru’s eyes shot wide open. _That was new_.

When she glanced back at him, Shirou seemed to be aimlessly staring ahead, distracted. She knew better, though. Even in this form, Michiru could still recognize the telltale signs of distress in Shirou’s posture. Right now, it was obvious he was tense, conflicted and purposely avoiding her eyes. “What do you mean?”

Shirou opened and closed his mouth several times, struggling to find the right words to express himself. In the end, he shook his head with an annoyed growl. “Forget it.”

A pang of disappointment hit Michiru. Shirou had clearly come incredibly close to opening himself to her about something very sentimental, only to shut her out again. This time, though, instead of causing a sting of rejection, it made Michiru’s stomach flutter with hope and excitement.

After all, Shirou had just expressed a wish to share more of his life with her.

That accursed mural still lingered in her mind, and the fact it had been made with Shirou’s own blood only intensified her concerns… but perhaps, rather than actively pressing the wolf for answer, Michiru should simply wait. If Shirou truly wanted to talk about it with her, he would come around once he was ready.

“Look, it’s alright if you don’t want to tell me about that painting.” Michiru started after a while, which grabbed the wolf’s attention. “But I’m always here if you change your mind, Shirou. You know that, right?”

Shirou gave the girl a long, analytical stare that dissected her very soul, then stiffly nodded. It might not have been the most reassuring answer, but it was good enough for Michiru.

Beaming, she tugged on his leg fur. “Now, could you lay down for me? I want to take a close look at the mighty Silver Wolf!”

He rolled his eyes and scoffed, but complied to her request, nonetheless. As soon as his stomach touched the ground, Michiru’s hands were already all over Shirou’s large face, rubbing his ears, temples and cheeks. It was then she realized something shocking.

Shirou was no Silver _Wolf_.

Sure, he resembled a wolf at first glance. However, upon looking closer, Michiru would describe him as an amalgamation of countless different animals. Instead of fur, his face and mane were mostly covered in soft plumes, with longer feathers forming a spiky crest on the back of his neck. Shirou’s nose looked more feline than canine, and his thick, droopy lip reminded Michiru of a bear’s.

Awe and intrigue filled her senses the longer she stared at all his bizarre traits, especially when she moved on to inspect the rest of his body. Michiru stroked the base of his luscious mane, observing the way Shirou’s plumage phased into long locks of fur that covered most of his torso and tail. She then took notice of the plated scales lining his paws from wrist to toes, ending with curved talons almost as long as Michiru’s forearm.

What grabbed her attention the most, though, were the characteristic wing-shaped protrusions that ornated Shirou’s back. They were formed by a dense cluster of feathers and blade-like quills. When Michiru touched one of the sharp spines, she found them as solid as steel, explaining Shirou’s ability to cut through the hardest of materials.

“Shirou… _what_ are you?” Michiru finally breathed, expressing nothing but sheer amazement at her friend’s form. Even back when she helped broadcast the Silver Wolf’s howl, the uniqueness of his body had gone completely unnoticed by her. The strong glow it emanated probably helped obscure such details.

Shirou gazed upon her with wistful, ancient eyes that glimmered with unmeasurable knowledge. In Michiru’s view, never had he fit the role of a god so well. His mythical form combined with the elegant, sphynx-like posture and impassive expression could have been sculpted in stone as an idol to be worshipped. She couldn’t help but feel privileged to witness such beauty.

“The Silver Wolf was born from over two thousand slain souls.” He spoke in that same thunderous voice, although it carried a sorrowful edge this time. “They were beastmen of countless different races, whether covered in fur, feathers or scales. My body reflects this fusion of animals.”

Nodding slowly, Michiru approached his head again and scratched his soft, plumed cheeks. A wide grin curled her lips. “You’re _amazing_.” There wasn’t a single drop of hesitation in her words, only genuine glee and excitement.

In turn, Shirou leaned into her touch with a stubborn scoff. “You’re just happy to have a bigger lap dog.”

“Well, yes.” She giggled sheepishly, then added in a softer voice. “But I’m also happy because you kept your word in the end.” Michiru stroked his big canine snout before leaning in to give a brief peck on his nose. “Thank you, Shirou.”

The unexpected gesture made Shirou’s eyes widen almost comically, followed by some flickering in his divine glow. He could feel his aura growing even hotter as he turned his face away. It looked like Michiru was making a habit out of kissing him, which turned out to be a completely new experience to the thousand-year-old male. He wasn’t sure how to handle the feelings that arose from such thing.

All he knew was that, once Michiru resumed caressing his head, ears and face, the forest surrounding them both seemed to vanish, replaced with a world of pure warmth and bliss. Shirou no longer bothered to resist the allure of her massaging hands, especially when they dug into the thick mane of his neck. Michiru couldn’t hold back her smug grin when his massive tail started wagging.

After all, the little maiden had just tamed the most legendary of beasts.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> God, you guys have NO idea how much work I put into this chapter. I did a ludicrous amount of research to write it, to the point of reaching out to a real bowhunter to get her feedback on the hunting scene. I wanted everything to feel as realistic as possible, so I looked up fog science. Scent science. Climate, ecology and everything about mountain broadleaf/mixed forests. Japan's montane fauna. How animals react to being shot/dying from arrows. The list goes on and ooon. To be honest, I'm a bit burned out now, so next chapter may take a while to come up. I hope you all understand -.-'.
> 
> But anyway, I wanted to address two last things:  
> \- Shirou and Michiru's sexual tension has officially come into the picture, as they are slowly awakening each other's animal urges (that tag round was pretty much an elaborate courtship), and as such I feel the need to clarify: this fanfic will NOT have explicit sex in it. I hate changing the rating on my readers, so I'm sticking to tasteful nudity and only mentions/hints of anything sexual.
> 
> \- If anyone is curious about my design for the Silver Wolf/Ginrou, I've listed my concept sketches for him here (yes I drew them myself): https://imgur.com/a/NpzlE4w


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